The Newark journal., 1905-02-03
tCOpyrisht, i0Os, by William Wallace Cookl


 Even had there been no guards on the outside escape from the jail would have baf1ied the most resourceful pris- oner Darrel yawned, laid the stump of his cigar on the candlestick and crossed the creaking boards of the floor to a cot on the opposite side of the room.
 It had been his intention to lie down, but his fastidiousness rebelled at the blankets on the cot. The dirt and the vermin disgusted him and he returned to his chair.
 Drowsily he leaned back and through his half closed eyes he saw the shad- ows of the room taking vague shapes. Stealthily they elided to and fro. now forward. now back and now surround ing him. their gaunt hands clasped and their dance a dance Of death.
 Out of the spectral ranks came final ly the soothsayer who had crossed his path at the Half Way house-a hideous hag who tossed her skeleton-like arms, moeked him with jeering face and pointed towards him bony and threat ening finger.
 ou may be honest, but yoD eaA never be nOnoraBle!
 The words pierced him like pointed javelins and he writhed under the smart. Housing. he brushed a hand across his eyes, laughed at the folly into which the perilous hour had be- guiled him and droppel back to be g further prey of his disagreeable rev cries
 The queen of hearts tripped through the semi gloom, but between her smiI- ing countenance and his came the dead face of Sturgis; and when this faded 1t left the gruesome hand of Death raising five cards for his inspec- tion-three knaves and two seyens, dripping red
 With a sudden movement he threw himself forward in the chair and raised his clenched fist There was nothing before him, however, except the dull gleam of the candle
 What was wrong with his nerves ? This mood was foreign to him and he could not understand it.
 Springing up. he tramped the ereak- ing boards for an hour When he again seated himself he bowed his head on the table in his folded arms. The restless stirring of the guards outside died away in his ears; he slept and the candle burned to it's socket. sput- tered and went out
 Some time later-just how long he had no means of knowine-a peculiar sound aroused him. He started up. his eyes peering into the blank dark ness.
 He still heard the guards. but the noise that had awakened him came from within. not from without.
 A labored breath, carefully stifed the sweep of hand over rough sur face; a creaking lift of one of the floor boards; fall of wood mufTled with painstaking care Then silence again, broken only by the tramp of the armed sentries
 In the opaque gloom, Darrel strained his ears to follow the sounds and couple each with a corresponding movement that must have caused it. He readily gathered that entrance was being forced into his prison chamber from beneath. Who could it be?
 Darrell" came hissing whisper.
 "Yes?" he returned, in undertone.
 "If you would save your life you have not a moment to spare. The marshal has been lured away and made a prisoner and there is nothing to prevent Sturgis friends from wreaking their vengeance on you. There are lot of them at Hawkbill's now, getting ready. The guards posted by the mar shal are in sympathy with them and listenl" The voice broke off, trem- ulous with excitement. Do you hear anything? They may be coming this minute"
 No, returned Darrel, after mo- ment, its the watchers outside that you hear In the first place, who are you?"
 The man whose life and honor you saved at Hawkbills.
 How have you been able to come to me?"
 Through one of the drifts from the creek bank It was only necessary to dig out a few feet of earth in order to come up directly under this build ing-but it has taken hours and every hour seemed an age. 1 was afraid should not be in time God knows I could not abandon you after what you have done for me"
 "Sturgis' friends would take the law into their own hands, would they?"
 "They intend to lynch you"
 For a crime I did not commit" SUD- plemented Darrel.