The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-10-22
THE
CON v ICT
by Carl Munsnian.

! 1t was noon. The dark gray walls
! Of the old penltentiary We're baking
In the rays OF the burning sun. which
| fell like searchllghts through the
| little windows into the narrow cells
! within.
The inside walls, like the outside
| ones, were cherries and gray. with
nothing TO relieve the monotony OF
| their blinds but printed copies OF the
prison regulations, which consisted
Of the things prisoners were not al
lowed to do.
The work went slowly. and the
| longing for the outside world. the
blue sky and the green fields grew
In the hearts of. many of the hapless
beings behind lock and bars. No
body felt less like working than the
giant prisoner IN the second tier of
cells, who was feared OF the war;
dens and his fellow prisoners be-
cause of his enormous strength ana
ing TO make a basket. but tile and
again his hands dropped into his lap
and he listened to the regular knock
ings on the water pipes. which. like
the wireless telegraphy. carried mes
sages from cell TO cell.
A smile spread over the face of
the giant when he succeeded In put
ting the letters together to words
and the words to sentences. Sud
denly the smile disappeared. and in
its place came a hard. almost fero-
cious. expression.
Steps were heard outside In the
hall 1t was the turnkey. The CON
vict saw him, SO to speak, with his
ears, coming down the long hall,
broad shouldered, we'll nourished and
self-satistied. carrying his bunch OF
keys in his hand.
What could he want here this time
of the day, when ID was the rule
never to disturb the conyicts? The
giant was literally foamlng with fury
Was he to be punished once more for
some petty violation OF the rules?
The keepers always knew how to
find fault in those they did not like.
Nearer and nearer came the steps,
and now they stopped outside the
door. A thought shot like light
ming through the convict's brain. The
turnkey was alone. Undoubtedly
there was not even guard in the
hall during the quiet noon hour
Behind the loose brick in the wall
was a sharp piece of iron. which he
had sharpened during the long mon
tbs he had been confined to the cell.
Outside the sun was shining, the
birds we're singing and the woods
were green A key turned in the
door. The turnkey came in. but in
the same moment he fell to the
ground as ii struck down by light
ming. With terrible force the giant
had buried the sharp instrument in
his temple.
The convict did not even look at
his victim. With staring eyes he
sneaked down the hall. Every mo-
ment he stopped. listened and looked
around.
He felt nothing but a great Joy
at the success OF his deed. Now the
road TO freedom was open. the pri-
son door was open. there was no
guard outside.
The giant bad now reached the
yard. II was as If heaven itself had
decided that he should be a free man
Near the wall stood chopping block
and a ladder. He placed the ladder
on top OF the block vaulted over the
wall and let himself fall down on
the outside
For a moment he laid there abso-
lutely quiet. without moving hand
Oh foot. Had he broken a limb in
the fall?
No, he felt plainly that he was
unhurt. and he had only one thou
ght-to get away.
He jumped to his feet and ran as
fast as his trembling legs would
carry him across fields, over hedges
and fences. until he reached the
woods. painting aud exhausted.
Completely tired out. he threw
himself down in the grass under a
shady beech tree. and, half asleep.
looked through the green foliage at
the blue sky and the white clouds
beyond.
A sinner to whom the gates OF
heaven had opened could feel no
happier than he did.
But only a short hour vas given
him to enjoy his liberty.
Suddenly he heard noise of many |
voices. footsteps and excited signals |
He jumped to his feet. picked up a |
heavy branch lying close to him |
in the grass. and. brandishing it
around his head. he disappeared as
o deer in the woods.
Too many men we're following him. /
however. Five minutes later the |
giant lay bound and gagged on the
ground. with a rife bullet in his leg. |
He was carried back to the peni-
Tertiary in triumph.
The Inspector stood Ia his Office
behind the rail and looked at him
sternly.
The convict. who was new chain
ed hand and foot. cast down his eyes