The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-04-06
CHATTER x.-(Coutinued.,

Win these / set to work, and by the
end or twenty minutes had plated a
rope, weak to be sure, but long enough
90 reach the ground with plenty to spare.
Then, having bent my bodkin to the form
or hook, / tied it to the end Of the
cord, weighted it with a crown from my
pocket, and clambered up to the window.
was going to angle for the hangman's
rope
A dozen times pulled my hook across
the coil before it hitched, and then
full three-score Of times the rope slipped
away before l had raised it dozen
yards. My elbow was raw, almost with
leaning on the sill. and 1 began to lose
heart and head, when, to my delight, the
bodkin caught and held. 1t had fastened
on a kink in the rope not far from the
end. l began TO pull up hand over hand,
trembling all the while like leaf.
AT last l caught it, and, slipping back
into the room, pulled it after me yard
upon yard. My heart went loud AND
fast. There was nothing to fasten it to
but an iron staple in the door; that meant
losing the width of my cell, some six
feet
This, however, must be risked, and /
made the end fast, lowered the other out
Of the window again and, climbing to a
sitting posture ON the window sill, thrust
out my legs over the gulf.
Thankful was l that darkness had
fallen before this and hidden the giddy
depths below me. / gripped the rope
and pushed myself inch by inch through
the window, and out over the ledge. For
a moment l dangled. Then, wreathing
my legs round the rope, lo0sed my left
hand and caught with it again some six
inches lower. And so down I went
Minute followed minute and left me
still descending, six inches at time, and
looking neither above nor below, but al
ways at the gray wall that seemed slid
Ing up in front Of me. The first dizzi
ness was over, but horrible aching of
the arms had taken the place Of 1t. Twas
growing intolerable, when suddenly my
legs, that sought to close round the rope,
found space only. I had come to the
end.
l looked down. A yar' ~'ow my feet
the beam of the gallows a.-ned palely
out of the darkness. uere was my
chance. l let my hands slip down the
last foot or so Of rope, hung for a mo-
&ASAe, tAch UAOppcu AOI TIC Dcdus
My feet missed it, as I intended they
should; but flung both arms out and
caught it, bringing myself up with jerk.
While YET I hung clawing, I heard a
footstep coming through the gateway.
Here was fix. With all speed and 81
lence / drew myself up to the beam,
found hold with one knee upon it, got
astride and lay down at length, hatten-
ing my body down against the timber.
The footsteps drew nearer and passed
almost under the gallows. Twas an
officer, for, as he passed, he called out:
Sergeant Downs! Sergeant Downsv'
A voice from the guardroom in the bar
bican answered him through the dark
ness.
why is not the watch set?"
I'm minute, sir; it wants minute to
six"
Il thought the colonel ordered it at
half past five?'
In the silence that followed the barbi-
can clock began to strike, and half
dozen troopers tumbled out from the
guardroom. The officer returned to the
inner ward as tEsy dispersed to their
posts; ard soon there MAS silence again,
save for the tramp Of a sentry crossing
and recrossing the pavement below me.
All this while 1 lay fattened along
the beam, scarce daring to breathe. But
at len sth, when the man had passed be-
low for the sixth time, l found heart to
wiggle myself toward the doorway over
which the gallows protruded. By slow
degrees, and pausing whenever the fell
low drew near, / crept close up to the
wall, then, waiting the proper moment,
cast my legs over, dangled for a second
or two, swinging myself toward the sill,
flung myself off, and, touching the ledge
with one toe, pitched forward in the
room.
The effect of this was to give me
sound crack as struck the flooring,
which lay about a foot below the level
Of the sill. / picked myself up and
listen'd. Outside the regular tramp of
the sentry prov'd ne had not heard me.
In the room where l stood the flooring
was uneven to the foot, and scatter'd
with small pieces Of masonry. Twas one
of the many chambers in the castle that
had dropp'd into disrepair. Cropping my
way with both hands, and barking my
shins on the loose stones. / found a low
vaulted passage that led me into sec
ond chamber, empty as the first. To my
delight. the door to this was ajar, with a
glimmer Of light slanting through the
crack. / made straight toward it, and
pulPd the door softly. 1t open'd, and
show'd a lantern dimly burning, and the
staircase Of the keep winding past me,
up into darkness
Nv chance was, Of course, to descend,
which I did on tiptoe, hearing no sound.
The stairs twisted down and down, and
ended by a stout door with another lamp
shining above it. After listening a mo-
ment / decided to be bold, and lifted the
latch. A faint cry saluted me. I stood
face to face with the jailer's daughter.
The room was a small one, well lit
and lind about the walls with cups.
twas as guessed. mess room for the
soldiers, and the girl had been securing
one of the pewter mugs when my en-
trance startled her. She stood up, white
as II painted, and gasp'd:
"Ouick-Quick! Down here behind the
counter for your Hfe!"
There was scarce time to drop on my
knees before a couple Of troopers loung'd
in The girl hustled about to serve them.
while the pair lean'd their elbows on
the counter, and in this easy attitude be-
gan to chat
"A shrewd night!'
aye, very freezing frost! Lucky
that soldering is not all sentry work,
or / for one 'ud ensue my natural trade