The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-09-06
OUT OF THE QUICKSANDS
BY M. Quad



one hundred and fifteen convicts,
half of them under life sentence, occu-
pied corridor No. Of the big prison,
and they had been locked in since the
six o'clock supper. Down at the west
end of the steel door turnkey sat and
dozed until a flash of lightning and
peal of thunder aroused him. The
signing and muttering and cursing OF
the convicts was an old story to him.
Those sounds did not disturb him. he
held the keys of the five doors be-
tween his prisoners and liberty, ana
they were his animals.
There was another flash and another
neal. and then the storm was on. 1t
awed the animals" and they were
silent. The turnkey arose and turned
two or three of the yentilators and
then walked up and down in his list
slippers as softly as cat. He was at
the head Of the menagerie. He had
hundred and fifteen animals under his
thumb. Forty of the convicts, stand
ing at their doors, could see the ofncer
as he walked and turned-walked and
turned They barred their teeth at
him and growled YAH" but he did
not look up. Presently another hgure
came into their vision. 1t was that
of Black Sam. He was convict No.
S14 He had been in the prison for
two years, and his history was better
known than of any other inmate. In
some manner he had picked the lock
of his cell door and descended the cor
ridor stairs without discovery. 1t was
over while the convicts held their
breath. The giant of Black sam
seized the turnkey and lifted him high
and dashed him TO the stone floor as II
he had been bag of sand.
When the convict took the keys and
unlocked the steel door there was an
uneasy movement on the part OF al
the animals" in the corridor. Only AZ
could see with their eyes, but the
others could feel. All knew that BlacR
Sam was escaping, and that he was
going alone. but not voice was raised
in protest. Officials and convicts alike
had learned to fear the man. Had nc
unlocked a hundred cell doors not
prisoner would have followed him. HI
stood for a moment and looked back
Not n word-not a whisper-not
movement from the men he was leaV
ing behind.
Three years previously at the bii
slate quarry a hundred miles up tn
coast Black Sam had been taken on U
replace a foreman who had died. Mar
Rrvn. the daughter Of one OF the quar-
rvmen. had looked upon this stron@
smiling man and blushed, He ha
looked into her brown eyes and souSh
her out in her own home. They wer
humble people, and it was a humbl
courtship. but the sentiment was ther
the same as if one had worn silks an
the other broadcloth. The workme
in the quarry--the people in the vi
lage-the children toddllng about love
this foreman-all but one. With MAI
Bryu's father it was different. Ihel
was envy and hate in his soul becaus
the place had not fallen. to him. h
made no sign but he hated.
One day there came to the village
man who might, with the father
ready encouragement, have work'
much harm. He was an artist WI
was sketching along the coast. /
fingered beyond his time and the
was gossip. One morning as
strolled along the sands Black Sa
stood before him. At first the big mi
plead with him to go away. He d
not command, but appealed. VIII
he was answered with sneers and 81
casm he grew angry and made threa
that were overheard by others.
length Re menaced, and the art
feared personal violence and turn
away. The tide was out at that he
and ahead of him as he walked was
spot that the children and dogs pa
ing that way avoided with a chill
fear. Two days later the foreman "
arrested. The artist had suddenly a
mysteriously disappeared. The seal
was exhaustive, but no traces CO..
he found. When all had been gather
together, there were many little
cumstances pointing the accus
finger at the foreman. His unsuppor
word was his defense. That went W
Mary Bryn, put WIN hOlS OthSi'
"You didn't do it-you never co
have done it," she walled with
arms around the prisoners neck;
her father shook his head in doubt
way and said with others that the
must take it's course. In his heart
was glad.
Weeks later, when the prisoner
ON trial for his life. Samuel Bryn t
a walk along the seashore. He ca
70 that peculiar spot in the sand
that spot always showing wet
soft. no matter how lazy the ret
tide or how hot the sun, and he pau
and stared at It for long. long Il
Then he picked up pole that
been left stranded on the beach
began to poke and dig. Presently
felt something queer. and his
paled and he shut his teeth hard as
threw the pole away and walked s1
ly from the spot.
"He made game of me and W.
have atruck him" was Black Sam Is