The Washington times., 1906-11-11

nearly thirty stripeys here in Sing
Sing. each Of whom was once a mem
ber Of Scanlon's gang. and every man
Of them was landed here at one time
or another by Felix Boyd. Yet he
never has been able 10 corner Scanlon,
who constantly has a spy upon him.
ana hates him as the devil hates holy
water"
Al Of this Intercourse was little more
than "A succession of subdued growls.
augmenting its grimness. and never
a word reached the ears OF the guards.
nor any Of the great gang OF convict
lab0rers thronging the pier and shore.
II was partly drowned, moreover, by
the constant noise Of the hammers
and tools in the hands Of the tolling
men.
Rafferty, snarIed impatently. and
glanced sharply across the river.
Where's ScanIon now?" he mutter-
ed. DO you know?'
Il saw the launch slip upstream
halt-an-hour ago. The mist hides Il
just at present"
Damn the mist
Don't abuse your friends" mur-
INJURED Wykof coolIy. But for Felix
Boyd. who has made II needless, this
mist might have served us very we'll"
Better. maybe. than Scanlon Will.
unless he"
"Faugh! he'll not fan Us"
''TheE he must show up damned
soon. groWled Rafferty,. Who was Ike
a hound in leash. In another hals
hour weU be doing the lock-step for
the hotel"
Not by a long chalk Rafferty,"
Wykon quietly protested. ''Thereu
be time enough given us for the move
OF tod y. Boyd himself has insured
that His game is not 10 prevent our
escape. but by II. and his own crafty
work, 20 land Scanlon and his entire
gang Just wait I'll we get him. and
he learns how Scanlon has turned ths
tables on him"
What II a guard stops me from
No guard viii interfere. / tell you.
except the one who tackles me-" wy
kOn interrupted impatiently Il have
il direct from Scanlon, In the last
secret cipher Then Boyd will set the
bail rolling. not as he thinks, but
against himself, as blind as a bat 10
Scanlon's crafty easy, Watch out!
Yorders the launch again."
~Iiy Heaven, you're riEht!"
STEADY Not Q move. Rafferty,, till
! give the word"
Who's al the wheei7"
-'Scanlon himself. Kearney IS watch
ing as through a glass. Ia. this 10
the time. for there's the signal, =
white cloth in the house window. They
are edgiRg the craft this way
when do we"
silence! Hang TO your work"
The occasion OF these last hurried
utJerances was still 200 yards away
a low-lying steanI-launch, not more
Than forty feet in length. yet evident
ly designed for speed. and having
every appearance Of a private pleas
ure craft That she frequently had
been seen during the Iast month,
cruising aimlessly up and down the
river. indicates the care taken TO
avert suspicion on the part OF the pris-
on guards, and the deliberate prepara-
tions made for the one bold stroke Of
that September afternoon.
As Nykods confidence suggests,
moreover. thIs eliminating move was
made with a dash ard ahondon large
ly inspired hy the operations Of Felix
Boyd. and the ignorance attributed to
him Of Scanlon's fund or Information
and cuunter-designs.
out of The mist that hung Ike a
veil over the river. the launch sud
denly had emerged, bearing slowly
downstream some nifty yards from the
bank Within half-a- minute every
guard on the pier. and every convict
had discovered her. Yet only two OBJ
servers, save those already mentioned.
displayed more than a cursory inter
est i'm her, or IN the three men dis
cernibie aboard her.
clad I'm the g7rb of a convict. and
with his features TRANSPORTED in a
way evincng his exquisite art. Felix
Boyd gradually worked nearer the
outer pier.
At the same time. one Of the guards.
10 whom RafDrty had so viciousiy
referred. SaunteT6u 70 a position near
er Faul Wyizon. The latter Suppressed
a smile when he saw the move.
Meantime. the launch had drawn
nearer sull heading downstream. as
it, nOna aboard her had any interest
in the convict work. When fifty yards
above the pier. however. she veered
slightly showed her nose more plain
ly, and a sudden swirl OF back-wa
betrayed her increased speed.
Rafferty, dropped the adj with which
he had been working. shaken through
anu through WIN suppressed SAClLe-
neut. which Wykof quickly observed.
and Missed:
steady, YOU fool, Not yet!
''Ey God Tm-'
You're going to 10 what I COM
Ua-.d. Wait. / say!'
wen he too late. curse you. if"
"Wait-ten scconds!" Wykof fierce
" whispered. snatching the impatient
lufLaa hv the wiast.
Break away there, you two" cried
one Of The guards suddenly.
las sharp command brought all ewes
toward the two men addressed.
At the same moment. the launch,
itr1 barely thirty yards upstream.
clarped on a fun head of steam, and
Veered sharply toward the pier.
Instantly. veil rose with thrilling
Yehemence from Nyko6's lips.
Now, then. Rafferty,. Away with
YOU"
The burlv rufIian needed no second
bidding. With roar that fairly
Crowned the immediate tumuit Of the
startled gang of convicts, who at
once saw the desperate escape about
10 be attempted, Rafferty, leaped to-