The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-03
governor might be, he had the misfor-
tune to stand between his prisoner and

he had named for the completion OF
the charging, and altho the governor
said nothing Of his intention, the jailer
and his man brought to the cell six
charged batteries, a coil OF wire and
dozen lamps Lermontoff now changed
his working methods He began each
night as soon as he had finished dim
ner, and worked till nearly morning,
sleeping, all day except when !, inter,
the example of Robinson Crusoe,. at
tempted to tie knots on the tail of
time by cutting notches2 with his knife
on the leg of the table, but most days
he forgot to perform this operation,
lessly out of gear. He estimated that
he had been a little more than a week 4
in prison when he heard by the clang
of the bolts that the next cell was to
have an occupant.
ct must prepare a welcome for
him. he said, and SO turned out the !
electric light at the end Of the long
flexible wire. He had arranged neat
little switch of the accumulation, and
so snapped the light on and off at his
pleasure, without the trouble OF I'M
screwing the nuts which held IN place
one of the. copper ends OF the wire;
lighting his candle, he placed the glass
bulb in the current, paid out the flexible
line attached to it, and allowed the
bulb to run the risk of being smashed
against the iron bars of the passage,
but the little globe neaotiated the
rapids without even a perceptlble clnk'
and came to rest in the bed of the tor
rent somewhere about the center OF
the next cell, Juggling like tsh on
hook. Then Jack mounted the table,
leaned into the upper tunnel, and list
tened.
If tho volume of SOun0
would convey meaning to alien ears.
III protest against this as an outrage,
and demand my right OF commun1ca-
ton with the British ambassador
Jack heard the jailer growl:. "Ihls
loaf Of bread will last you for four
in Russian, it conveyed no more mean
ing to the Englishman than had his own
protest of a moment before brought IN
telligence to the .iailer. The door
changed shut, and there followed dead
silence.
old British oaths,'' said Jack to him
self, but the silence continued.
s'Hullo, Alan,' cried Jack thru the
bars, 81 said you would be nabbed II
YOU didn It leave st. Petersburg. You'll
pay attention to me next tune ! warn
There was no reply, and Jack became
alarmed at the continued stiffness, then
he heard his friend mutter:
..I1l be seeing visions by and by. l
thought my brain was stronger than
it isI :; have sworn that was was Jack $
Jack got speedily and quietly down,
turned on the switch, and hoped up
on the table again, peering thru. he
knew that the stream had now become
q river of fire, and that it was sending
to the ceiling an unholy, unearthly
ooh, damn it all!' groaned Drum
mond, at which Jack roared with laugh
t.Alan,' he shouted, "fsh out that
electric bulb from the creek and hold
it aloft; then you II see where you are.
I'm in the next cell; Jack Lamont,
electrician and coppersmith: all orders
promptly attended to: pest OF refer
"Jack, is that really you, or have I
gone demented?o
cob, you always were demented,
Alan, but it is I, right enough. Pick
up the light and tell me what kind OF
cell you we got"
tsHorrible!'' cried Drummond, sur
veying his situation. walls appar-
emily of solid rock, and this uncanny
stream running across the floor.
| ttHow are you furnished9 Shelf Of
rock, stone benchs''
"No, there g table, cot bed, and a
| wooden chair
/ ssWhy my dear man, what are you
| growing abouts They have given you
one Of the best rooms in the hotel.
You re in the star chamber.
| Where in the name Of heaven are
wee''
tsDidn't you recognize the rock from
the deck Of steamerg0
ttI never saw the deck Of steam
err
tsThen how did you come heref'' .
4 ct was writing Letter in my room
when someone threw a sack over my
head, and tied me up in bundle, &C
smothered. I was taken in what
supposed was cab and flung into what
/ I afterwards learned was the hold OF
steamer. When the ship stopped,
SOMEONE'S shoulder, and unhampered be
s. fore a gaunt specter in uniform, in {