Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-05-07

,
! the settlement 1t was well chosen for its
purpose. and stronger even than the pris-
| Olers thought.
| During the following week the prisoners
were only once in the coffee plantation,
and so strictly watched that they felt
that to attempt an evasion was only to
bring destruction upon their hopes, per-
| hans cause Mary's imprisonment for at
tempting to assist prisoners to escape
cts of no use. Bart" said Abel at
last, despondently. Poor grill why
| did she come"
"Help us away" said Bart, gruftiy.
| ayes, but all in vain"
"Pshaw" cried Bart again when you
know she'll keep on coming till shes an
old gray-haired woman, or she gets US
away"
Abel shook his head, for he was low
spirited, and not convinced; but that
night his heart lcaped, for as he lay half
asleep. listening to the thin, buzzing mum
of the mosquitoes which haunted the prls-
oners' ouarters. and the slow, regular
pace of the sentry on guard outside, there
| was the faint rattle of chain, as If some
prisoner had turned in his unquiet rest
and then all was silent again, Till ne
| started. for rough hand was laid upon
his mouth.
His first instinct was to seize the own
or Of that hand, to engage in struggle
for his life; but mouth was placed d.
rectly at his ear and well-known VOICE
whispered
| "Dop't make a sound Tie these bits
of rag about your irons 50 as they won
rattle"
Abel caught at the pieces OF cloth and
canvas thrust into his hand. and, sitting
nm In the darkness he softly bound the
links and rings Of his letters togetheT'
hardly daring to breathe, and yet with
his heart beating unanimously in MS Ink
iety TO know his companions plans. AS
, he was tying the last knot he felt bart
: hand upon his shoulder, and his ups Ut
his ear.
a "Quiet, and creep after me. Keep
touching my foot SOS not to miss me III
o the dark"
Il Abels heart thumped against his ribs
: AZ he obeyed, taking Barts hand hrst IN
:. a firm grip, and then feeling short iron
bar thrust between his fingers.
ell Then he became conscious from MS
| Commanders movements that he had gone
a down upon his hands and knees. and was
d crawling toward the end of the long, 10"
n stone-walled building that served as
dormitory for the white slaves whose
o task was to cultivate the rough planta
al ten till they, as q rule, lay down AM
p died from fever.
FL Just then Bart stopped short, FOR ther
a. were steps outside, and CLEAN OF hSh
appeared beneath the heavy door. Voice
le were heard, and the rattle Of soldier
It musket.
t: Changing guard" said Abel to him
self: and he found himself wonderin
r, whether the sergeant and his men woul
enter the prison.
S, Then there was a hoarsely uttered com
mand; the light faded away, the step
+, died out upon the ear; there was elm
or two Of chains, and heavy sigh fror
lg some restless sleeper, and once more L
I'd the black silence and sitting heat ther
I'd was nothing to be heard but the lou
ne trumpeting buzz of the mosquitoes
Softly, as some large cat, Bart resum
n ed his crawling movement, after thrust
70 ing back his leg and touching Abel on tn
NJ chest with his bare foot as signal.
The building was quite hundred fee
CD lery in shape, which had been lengthene
~ from time to tame as the number of col
er victs increased, and the men had abol
ne two-thirds of the distance to traverse b.
Ne fore they con.d reach the end, and |
th their excessively slow rate of progress
IN the time seemed inteEminable before, a
n ter several painful halts caused by NOV
81 nents Of their fellow prisoners and drea
~, tha an al holt m a
"Now, then, what is it?" whispert
Oh Abel.
Bart was slowly drawing out roue
eA, pieces Of badly cemented stone-roug
fragments really Of coral and limestoi
~ from the nearest roof, Of which the pri
on barrack was built
re At last, after what seemed an age,
he faint breath Of comparatively cool q
he began to play upon Abel's cheek, as Ba
in. seemed to work steadily on. Then
the hand was seized and guided where
hardly wanted guiding, for the YOU
ZEN mans imagination had painted ALTO
rough opening level with the floor, a he
~. little larger than might have been ma
for fowls to pass in and out Of poult
yard.
~, They crept on in silence, aad In
mluSt OF the SUI uhrkneSS matters see
ed to be going SO easily for them III
AIN Abers heart grew more regular In
pulsatien, and he was just asking hi
sy self why he had not had invention enou
to contrive this evasion. when clear u
be familiar voice cried, "Shtand" and tht
mt. was the click OF a musket lock.
ere What followed was almost m0menta
AL Bart struck aside the bayonet leveled
al his breast, and leaped upon the sen
before him, driving him backward q
clapping his hand upon his mouth as
'me knelt upon his chest; while, ably secol
end ing him, his companion wrested the m
TO ket from the mans hand, twisted
lay bayonet from the end of the barrel. Il
sful holding it daggerwise, pressed it agai
hnu the mans throat.
you Another word, and It's your las
Kissed Abel.
Sure, and iii be as silent as Pc
cry Mulloney's grave, sor," whispered
JOIN sentry; but it's a mother have over
the ovid country, and ye'd break
l'er- heart II ye killed me-"
81 ,ook here - whisnered Bart: ''it's N