Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-13

sheet and Iere it into strips, impa-
tientiy thrusting them into the others
hands. The first letter had foretold al.
this, and the prisoner knew what was
expected of him. He therefore secure
! ly bound the guards legs and arms.
With grim smile the captive nodded
his head toward the revolver, the Ian
tern and the keys His obliging prison
er secured them, as well as his own
personal effects and was ready to de-
part. According to instructions, ne
was to go forth, locking the doors be-
hind him. leaving the man to be dis
covered the next morning by surprised
keepers. 1t struck him that there was
something absurd in this part of the
plan. How was this guard to explain
his position with absolutely no sign of
struggle to bear him out? 1t was
hardly plausible that a big, strong fell
low could be SO easily overpowered
single handed There was something
wretchedly homogeneous about the-but
| there came startling and effective
end to all criticism.
The guard, bound as he was, sudden
| ly turned and lunged headforemost
against the sharp bedpost. His head
struck with thud, and he rolled to the
floor as if dead. Uttering an eXclama-
| ton of horror, Lorry ran to his side
Blood was gushing from long cash
across his head and he was already
unconscious. Sickened by the brave
sacrifice, he picked the man up and
placed him on the bed. A hasty exam
ination proved that it was no more
than scalp wound and that death was
too remote to be feared. The guard
had done his part nobly, and it was
now the prisoners turn to act as reso-
lutely and as untiinchingly. Sorry to
leave the poor fellow in what seemed
an inhuman manner. he strobe into the
corridor, closed and locked the doors
clumsily and began the descent of the
stairs. He had been instructed to act
unhesitatingly, as the slightest show of
nervousness would result in discovery.
With the helmet well down over his
face and the cape we'll up he steadily,
even noisily, made his way to the next
floor below. There We're prisoners on
this door, while he had been the only
occupant of the floor above. Straight
ahead he went, flashing his lantern
here and there, passing down another
stairway and into the main corridor.
Here he met guard who had just
come in from the outside. The man ad-
| dressed him in the language of the
country, and his heart almost stopped
beating. How was he to answer? Mum
bling something almost inaudible, he
hurried on to the ground floor, trembling
with fear lest the man should call to
him to halt. He was relieved to find,
in the end, that his progress was not
to be impeded. In another moment he
was boldly unlocking the door that led
to the visitors hail. Then came the
door to the warden's office. Here he
found three sleepy guards, none Of
whom paid any attention to him as he
passed through and entered Captain
Dangloss private room. The gruff old
captain sat at a desk writing. The es-
Gaping man half paused as il to speak
TO him. A sharp cough from the cap
tain and significant jerk of the head
told him that there must be no delay
no words Opening the door he stepped
out into storm so fierce and wild that
he shuddered apprehensively.
"a fitting night"' he muttered as he
plunged into the driving rain, forcing
his way across the courtyard toward
the main gate. Tie little light in the
gatekeeper's window was his guide,
so, blinded by the torrents, blown by
fore the final barrier Peering through
the window, he saw the keeper doing
in his chair. BY the light from within
he selected from the bunch of keys he
carried one that had white string
knotted in its ring. This was the key
that was to open the big gate in case
no one challenged him. In any other
case he was to give the countersign,
"Dangloss," and trust fortune to pass
him through without question.
Luck was with him. and, finding the
great lock, he softly inserted and turn
ed the key The wind blew the heavy
gate open violently, and it required all
Of his strength to keep it from banging
against the wall beyond. The most diff
ficult task that he had encountered
grew from his efforts to close the gate
against the blast. He was about to
give up in despair when a hand was
laid on his shoulder and some one
Kissed in his startled ear:
Ssh! Not wordw
His legs almost went from under his
body, so great was the shock and the
fear Two strong hands Joined his
own in the effort to pull the door into
position, and he knew at once that they
belonged to the man who was to meet
him on the corner at the right of the
prison wall. He undoubtedly had tired
OF the delay and, feeling secure in tho
darkness of the storm. had come to
meet his charge, the escaping prisoner.
Their united efforts brought about the
desired result, and together they left
the prison behind, striking out against
the storm in all its fury.
you are late" called the stranger in
his ear.
'Not too late, am II" he cried back,
clutching the others arm.
mo, but we must hasten"
Ntnf, n,,;, -