The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-23

1OdI, Tearing II uliSuI 1dII mo the
and be lost to him, but he
could not find it, and now his designs
for measuring the cell gave place to
the desire Of finding that loaf. He got
down on his hands and knees and felt |
the stone floor inch by inch for half |
an hour, as he estimated the time, but I
never once did he touch the bread.
How helpless man is in the dark. |
after air. he muttered to himself. 81 |
must do this Systematically. beginning |
at the edge Of the stream"
On all tours he reached the margin
of the rivulet and felt his way along
the brink till his head struck the OPP
posite wall. He turned round, took up
position that he guessed was three
feet nearer the door and again ira
versed the room, becoming so eager in
the search that he forgot for the mo-
ment the horror Of his situation, just
as when engaged in a chemical expert
ment everything else vanished from
his mind, and thus after several jour
neys back and forth he was again re-
minded of the existence of the stone
bench by butting against it when he
knew he was several fest from the
wall. Rubbing his head, he mutteTed
some unfavorable phrases regarding
the immovable bench, then crawled
round it twice and resumed his trans
verse excursions. AT last he reached
the wall that held the door and now
with breathless eagernesS rubbed his
shoulder against it till he came to the
opposite corner. He knew he had
tically every square inch of space in
the floor, and yet no bread.
"Now, that's a disaster" cried he,
getting up on his feet and stretching
himself. Still, a man doesn't starve
in four days. I've cast my bread on
the waters. 1t has evidently gone
down the stream. Now, what's to him
der a man escaping by means of that
water course? Still, If he did, what
would be the use? He'd float out into
the Baltic sea and if able to swim
round the rock would merely be COM
PEELED to knock at the front door and
beg admission again. No, by Jovei
There's the boat, but they probably
guard 1t night and day, and a man in
the water would have no chance
against one in the boat. Perhaps
there's gratings between the cells. OF
course there's bound to be. No one
would leave the bed of a stream clear
for any one to navigate. Prisoners
would visit each other in their cells,
and that's not allowed in any respect
able prison. I wonder II there's any
one next door on either side Of me-
An iron grid won't keep out the
sound. I'll try" And, going again to
the margin of the watercourse, he
shouted several times as loudly as he
could, but only sepulchral echo, as
IL from vault, replied to him.
II imagine the adjoining cells are
| empty. No enjoyable companionship
| to be expected here. wonder If
they've got the other poor devils up
| from the steamer yet. I'll sit down on
| the bench and listen"
He could have found the bench and
shelf almost Immediately by cropping
| round the wall, but he determined to
exercise his sense of direction, to pit
himself against the darkness.
u need not hurry" he said, 81 may
be long time here"
| In his mind he had a picture Of the
cell, but now that he listened to the
water 1t seemed to have changed its
direction, and he found he had to rear
range this mental picture and make {
different set of calculations to fit the
new position. Then he shuffled slowly
forward with hands outstretched, bu
he came to the wall and not to the
bench. Again he mapped out his route
| again endeavored and again failed
This is bewildering," he muttered
"How the darkness battles a mani Fol
the first time in my life l appreciate Il
the full the benediction of Gods com
mand. Let there be light. ="
He stood perplexed for a few mo
ments, and, deeply thinking. his hands
automatically performed an operation
as the servants of habit. They tool
from his pocket his cigarette case. Sc
lected a tube of tobacco, placed it be
tween his lips, searched another peck
eft, brought out q matchbox and strucl
| u light. 4Qe Vi luc L4ulOi
startled Lermontoff as if it had beer
an explosion; then he laughed. holdin;
the match above his head, and there a
his feet saw the loaf of black bread
1t seemed as il somebody had twiste,
the room end for end. The door wa
where he thought the stream was
and thus he learned that sound give
no indication of direction to a MAJ
blindfolded. The match began t
wane, and feyerishly he lit his cigar
cite.
why didn't think of the matches
and, oh. what u pity I failed to fill m
pockets with them that night of til
professors dinner party! To think tina
matches are selling at this moment i
J Sweden go for a halfpennyr'
Guided by the spark at the end @
] -