The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-10-04
CHAPTER I.
The convict's Plight.

The conviet's Plight.
Four prisoners had escaped from
one of the great convict jails. A
dense fog had come up suddenly while
the convicts were at work in the open.
There had been hasty orders to fall in
and march back to the prison, but
four men had made a sudden rush
and had got away. The alarm had
been given, the neighborhood warned,
and a picket organized.
Three of the men were recaptured
during the day, but of one no trace
had been found at nightfall. Favored
by the heavy fog which had swept
over the country he had succeeded in
effectnally concealing himself.
It was not expected that he would
get very far away. In his convict
clothes he would not be able to obtain
any kind of conveyance or to get food
or drink.
The authorities were confident that
the missing man would be captured
the next day. But that confidence was
rudely shaken by a discovery which
one of the search parties made the
following morning. In clump of
trees at the back of a cottage occupied
by workman attached to the prison
complete suit of convict clothes
was discovered.
A hurried inquiry held by the Of
f1cials convinced them that there had
been collision between the workman
and the prisoner. A suit of clothes
had probably been kept in readiness
at the cottage. The escaped convict
had made his way there under cover
Of the fog, effected the change, and in
civilian clothes had made good his es.
cape. The workman strongly denied
the accusation, and there was no
means Of proving it, But the authori-
ties considered that their suspicious
were justified, and they became less
hopeful of running the missing man
to earth. Whoever had connived at
the escape must have been bribed,
and therefore the presumption was
that the convict had in some way OBJ
tanned possession OF money. Money
being at his command, he would be
able in his civilian clothes to get to
the railway station. He might have
IN T o nio1
city. He might have reached port
and be on his way to the Continent.
The convict's name was John Will
son. He was Internationally, and at
the time Of his arrest had been a
private in cavalry regiment. He was
a man of fair education and of good
appearance. He had been arrested
on charge of abstracting the check
book of an officer of his regiment and
obtaining money by forging the sigma
ture of the owner. He had been con-
victed and in due course had been
sent to the convict jail
Two years of John Wilson's sen
tence had yet to run when he made
his escape.
In first-class compartment of an
express train tearing it's way rapidly
toward London on the night of John
Wilson's escape there sat two men.
One was clean-shaven young clergy
man and the other was a man of about
five-and-forty with closely-cropped
brown beard slightly touched with
gray.
The young clergyman did not seem
quite at his ease. When the train
! stopped at station he drew his soft
clerical hat low down over his brows
and, turning his face away from the
| platform, appeared to be fast asleep.
But directly the train restarted, be-
ing relieved to find that no other pas.
sengers had entered the compartment,
he sat upright again.
! The bearded gentleman rallied his
companion pleasantly.
"You really haven't the slightest
cause for fear" he said. 'The dis.
guise that I SO thoughtfully provided
you is perfect. No one is looking for
you on the railway line-they are
still searching the moor. It will never
enter their heads that you have been
able to get change Of clothes and
the money to travel by train"
The young clergyman gradually al.
lowed himself to be convinced that he
was safe, and his manner altered.
II can hardly believe that it is true, {"
he said, "and l sha'n't feel quite out
of the wood till we are in London.
OF course. sooner or later the clothes
got rid of will be found, and then the
search for me will be extended"
"By that time you will be far away"
replied his companion. You will have
the means not only to travel any dis
lance you may like, but to pass for
what you are-the heir to an old bar
onetcy and fine estate and large
rent roll"
you are quite sure that am the
MANI"
| my dear sir, your escape has cost
me two hundred pounds. am only a
private inquiry agent doing an ordi.