The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
Cell No. /.

ment on No. 9. There Was no shelf Of
rock, or stone bench, but cot bed in
the corner, table and wooden chair.
ing rock in corner Of the room. When
the jailer and his assistant had retired
and showed the outside bolts, Jack lit
his candle and cigaret, feeling almost
happy. He surveyed the premises now
with more care. The bed was of iron
and fastened to the floor. On the top
Of it was a mattress, pillow Lg . and 1ia+, a
triangular shelf of rock had been left
in the corner, and on this reposed a
basin of tin, while a coarse piece OF
sacking took the place of towel. Jack
threw off his overcoat and flung 1t on
the bed, intent on satisfactory wash.
cts, and forgetting for the moment what
it could possibly be, thrust his hand in,
and pulled out glass -stoppered bottle
of 'ozak. He held it out at arm 9
length and stared at it for some mo-
ments like man ,6;ypn9 40 aeioa u+o
think that I should have forgotten
He filed the tin basin with water
and placed it on the table. Again he
dissolved minute portion of the chem
zeal, and again filled the syringe. ,,
. must leave uO ulcA MS vi wv ".S1t
and taking the full syringe: to the arch
over the torrent, and placing the can
die on the floor beside him, he gently
pushed in the piston. The spray struck
the rock, and the rock dissolved slight
ly but perceptibly. Coming back to
in deep thought. Altho the cot bed
was fixed to the floor, and altho it
was possible that the shelf in the next
cell conceded with it's position, the
risk of discovery was too great to cut
a passage between the two cells there
The obvious spot to. attack was the
streamlet ran, but Jack, testing the
temperature Of the water with his
hand. doubted his physical ability to
remain in that ice-cold current more
than a few minutes at a time, and II
he worked in the tunnel he would be
ali but submerged. He feared he would
perish with cold and cramp before he
had made any impression on the rock.
To the edge Of the stream he drew
the table, and, mounting it, examined
the upper ori6ce third which the water
escaped when the cell was full. He
work in comfort until he had exca-
waited sufficient rock to allow him to
Chamber into the upper tunnel and 50
continue his operations The water he
!: used would flow thru the tunnel and
down to the main stream in the next
cell. All he had to do was to dissolve
semicircular hole in the rock that
would bend round the end of those
steel bars and enter the tunnel again
on the other side. Eager to be at
work, he took the full basin, showed
it far along the tunnel until it was
stopped by the bars, then, placing his
candle beside it, and standing on the
10 hla ha hopan OnaratiOnS @=.
The limestone, under the influence of
the spray, dissolved very slowly, and
by the time the basin of water was
exhausted, all the effect visible under
the light of the candle was an exceed
ingly. slight circular impression which
was barely visible to the naked eye.
81 must make the solution stronger,
I Think he said, grievously disap-
pointed at the outcome of his labors,
and as he looked at it he heard the
clank Of the Withdrawing bolts. BLOW,
ing out the candle he spran,g to the
/ floor Of the cell, picked up the table
set it down in the center of the room
| CROPPED for the chair, and sat down, his
heart palpitating wildly at the feal
Of discovery.
Followed as usual by the man with
the lantern, the .jailer came IN, carry
he placed on the table, then he took
| from his pocket a spoon, small hunk
In the light Of the lantern Lermontof
consulted his watch, and found it wa!
s o clock. The iailer took the Lantern
from his assistant, held it high, ant
looked round the room, while Lennon
toff gazed at him in anxiety, wonder
ing whether that brutal looking officia
suspected anything. Apparently h
| did not, but merely wished to satisf,
himself that everything was in order
| for he said more mildly than he ha'
hitherto spoken:
cupied this cell.
/ Then his eye rested on the vacant col
ner shelf.
All, Excellency,'' he continued
Hpardon me, have forgotten. I mus
/ bring you a basin. =
ED rather you brought me car