Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-07-16
cHAprER XII.
A ~ ON was thrust into a condemn
ed cell measuring but 9.s by 6
feet and In height a foot less

feet and In height a foot less
than Its length. Yet even this
hole he was to share with comrade
In like calamity. And in dribble Of
summer twilight. as the massive door
changed behind him, he found himself
shut up with a young ruffian, con-
ldemned for murder, with whom he had
had an alteration over a trifiing mat
fer in chapel yard.
+ The recognition was mutual, and
Tom held out his hand.
/ His hand was taken with an evil
grace. Ina little. however, the other
aloosened not unfriendly tongue, but
one SO blasphemous and so foul that
Tom half regretted HIS advance. He
could not regret 1t altogether. The
vilest conversation was better Just
then than none at all That OF Toms
@hilom enemy was vile enough. with
Its ,.orrid levity, its coarse swagger
and forced but bIoodcnrdling con-
tempt of death STILL 1t was some
thing to listen TO, something new to
think about and shudder over, and the
creature. having been alone at night
since his conviction on the opening
day of the sessions. hardly paused till
the small hours OF the morning.
His name was Creasey. lie had
been convicted Of stabbing his wife Che
was twenty years of age, but had new
er done it; twas pack OF lies. But
he boosted to Tom Of many n thing he
had done in his short life, and they
were such things as Tom never forgot
iii his. He lay listening anu siudder-
ing upon Ills bed. Yet when the other
seemed to have talked himself out his
own torments only began, and he was
grateful when the brute broke out
afresh. So the night wore on until /
or 2 in the morning. Then there was n
long. unbroken silence. then d sobbing
and shaking aud q burst OF frantic
prayer from Creasey's bed then quiet.
then snoring, and the bell OF ST. Scpul-
cheers marking the weary milestones
of the night.
Tom never slept wink.
Next morning In the bottom day
room, which the condemned prisoners
had the use OF during the day, he rub.
bed shoulders with a third convict un
der recent sentence OF death, but this
was heavy, sullcn, middle aged man
OF the name Of Carter, who sat nil day
with his huge head between his cruel
hands and spoke to nobody, nor did
either youth venture to speak to him.
Overhead there was another day
room and eleven more prisoners undei
sentence nominally capital. but these
were morally certain of reprieve and
could be heard playing leap frog and
larking md singing from morning TIL
hight.
II wish we were up there" said
Creasey mournfully. ',But wait bit
the yards for us the Same rs FOL
them when It's exercise time, and Their
there'll be a bit o. fun for us ailg'
sgslle bit Of fun essayed by Crcasey
was openly to incite tho eleven jovia
Spirits from upstairs to badger Ton
lsand put him In a rage. But by tl,is
time Erichsen,s reputation In Newgatt
was such that the plot fell through fol
want Of supporters. Tom shrugged
his shoulders at the petty treacher,
and was treated by Creasey with a sly
seryility when they were locked up to
Fgetller once more. Meanwhile the bur
den Of tho day had been lightened b,
several visitors and rs many private
interviews. 8
Mr.. Macmurtlo,l the surgeon, and Mr.
4 Cotton, the ordinary OF Newgate, hat
v both shown Tom the klndest atten