The daily Alaskan., 1905-02-23
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who smuggled him steel saw, cut two bars out of his window, let him. self down by means of his bedclothes, lodged the guard and got away. When the escape was reported to the keeper he heaved a sigh and, arming himself, started In pursuit
 "I must get Jim or kill him." he said "EveTybOdy knows that he and were schoolmates, and everybody will believe that I connived at his es- cape"
 There was more than this in Bill Connolly's determination to capture or shoot his old friend-a cast iron con science. He considered 1t his duty to safely keep every prisoner, and if any one oS them escaped to get him, dead or alive He could make no exception, and in the case of his former friend he must make a greater effort. He divid- ed the pursuing force into sections, sending them in different directions, keeping one route for himself, a route he felt sure Jim Burt would take. Tom Hathaway, who had been one of a trio of friends when they were boys, Bill Connolly and Jim Burt being the oth- CTS, lived in a retired spot between two mountains, a convenient place to hide, and Bill knew that Tom would hide their old friend Bill.
 One with less sturdy conscience would have looked elsewhere for the fugitite except in the place where he felt sure he was to be found, but Con molly could no more lie to himself than to those by whom he was paid to do his duty. He went alone to Hutha- ways, hoping that he might the better prevail upon Jim to return with him voluntarily.
 It was a cold winter day when the keeper approached Hathaway's place Connolly shivered at the thought or Burt's being obliged to lie in conceal ment in the cold.
 At Hathaway's he was told by Mrs Hathaway Hathaway was not at home) that Burt had not been there But he had, and she had given him her husbands overcoat
 Connolly knew of cleft in the rocks a short distance up the road and felt sure he would find his man there. He walked till he came to an opening in the bushes through which a path led to the little cove, then took the path and advanced. When he came within few hundred yards of the hiding place a voice called:
 "Haltw
 "Come out, Jim"
 "Never alive, Billy"
 "You know my duty"
 "No, don't, Billy. suppose you do. '
 I'm obliged to take you back with me. You know how 1t would grieve me to take you back in box"
 "Yes, I do, Billy, and you know how 1t would grleve me to shoot my old friend. You see, I've got a position here behind these rocks to do all the damage, or rather you can't see, for I'm too well covered"
 And you'll kill me while I'm doing only my duty, duty that l can't fail to perform without dishonor."
 "I don't exactly see 1t in that light You have your old friends word that he is not guilty of the crime for which he is punished. The master you serve the state, has made mistake. What you want to do is to make q big effort to satisfy the public without really try ing to do anything"
 That's not my way of doing a thing I'm bound to do. I'm not to de- eide on your guilt or innocence. A jury has done that If they hit your case wrong, that's your misfortune"
 And if you are my jailer trying to take me and kill you in self defense that's your misfortune"
 There was long silence, at the end of which Connolly said. in a tone he might have used to a stranger:
 Prisoner, come out and surrender or I'll open fire on you"
 To which, after q short silence, Burr replied:
 Keeper, I'll not take advantage oi man who regards it his duty lo kil: me. If must fight you, I'll fight you in the open"
 He sprang over a rock and advanced, firing and receiving h,s antagonists fire as he advanced. Ec had empti2d three chambers of his revolver and Connolly had emptied five of his when both fell some thirty feet apart and lay without motion.
 Late that night Hathaway returned to his home and learned that both his old friends had been there. Burt had told Mrs. Hathaway where he was go ing and asked her to tell her husband to come and consult upon some plan for further action. Hathaway hurried away. The moonlight lay on the white snow as he left the road and struck into the path that led to the rocks. He walked rapidly till he came to the bodies of Burt and Connolly lying side by side. He placed his hand first on Burts then on Connolly's heart. Burt's was still; ConnOlly's was beating fee bly,. The overcoat that Mrs. Hathaway had loaned Burt had been thrown over Connolly. Burt, knowing that he had received his death wound, had crawled to his friend and carefully covered him.
 THOMAS KENT WATERMAN.