Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-16
BY HUGH PENDExTER
CopYright.)

Could IL De possible lHey WSlS HOI
there-were not holding back in wan
ton mockery? Again the changing OF
the bell bruited abroad the news of
his escape, and as its discordant warn
ing rose and sank on the breeze he
shuddered and hungrily eyed the
| 1usky depths of a nearby pine grove.
| But he must wait until night had blot
ted out the meadow.
For six months he had paid the
| price of another's crime 1t seemed
as if the bell must understand and
cease its ringing.
Il never burned no buildin's,' he ex-
postulated huskily IL never, | tell
We An yet they jagged me, a inner
cent man An my wife an boy was
tn only ones ter believe in me-"
His emotion so overeame him that
after a wild-eyed pause he shrieked
aloud as if for the first time remem-
bering the plight of the two left un-
protected.
81 must be careful" he repeated
over and over again in a strangled
monotone. Yes. he must be very care
full for a little while; then he would go
back and pay the remainder of the
| price-for his incentive was so heart
rending that once he had finished his
errand he cared little what wrong men
did him.
| 1t was only the day before that he
heard the news. 1t seemed ages He
was working in the broom shop at the
time. and the warden ushered in
batch of visitors. He hung his head
on recognizing a man from his vii
| lage, and the man, not observing him,
| bleated his name and asked his
whereabouts, and in the same breath
said that-here he did not catch the
name-was dying. He leaped from
his bench and asked which one
which one? His sorrowing wife, or
| the little boy?
Then he was hustled off to his cell,
his soul sick unto death and his face
so distorted by misery that even the
| guard. hardened TO all phases of hui
man despair, sought clumsily TO cheer
| him. Which one was dying? His wife.
SO trusting his only friend? Or was
it the youngster, who wept when they
led him away?
This awful half intelligence gave
him superhuman strength, daring and
| cunning, and enabled him to accom-
plish the almost impossible feat of get
ting away from the prison in broad
daylight. The same strength that had
brought him to the hillside should
take him home to the death-bed.
But first he must get rid of his pris.
on suit. 1t was the last hour of the
day before he dared to venture from
his hiding place. Without delaying to
pick and choose, he skirted the near
est farmhouse and gained the barn.
He had no light, but after a long re-
connaissance he found himself in the
harness room, with a thread OF a
moonbeam feeding through the cob
webbed window. Some clothing hung
on the hooks. He took pair of over.
alls and jumper
Caution now whispered that he must
avoid the highway, but the horrible
dread of being too late held him to the
road, always making for the north. He
would have dared the daylight and
plunged on, only now he realized that
his legs were growing limp. and he re-
membered that he had eaten nothing
since the noon before.
To obtain food he mus steal It: but
he did not see his chance until man
carrying two pals, crossed the road
and entered barn ahead of him.
Making a detour, the fugitive APP
preached the building from the rear.
where he found a small door aiar
Luck smiled on him a bit, for a wo-
mans querulous voice caused the
mixer TO leave his task. The intruder
gained with noiseless steps the line
of champing cattle and seized a pail.
II was half full until 1t reached his dry
lips. For the rest of the day he re-
manned hidden near an orchard.
He was dizzy and faint when he
again faced the broad, full moon. but
his exhaustion kept his thoughts shift.
ing about and possibly saved him from
a full measure of mental anguish At
midnight market gardeners heavy.
hooded wagon swung in from a cross.
road in front of him, its driver half
asleep in the high-backed seat. The
fugitive caught the tail-board and drew
himself in, He rode all night, unde.
tected, and even managed TO doze a
bit at times on pile of empty bags.
At dawn he slipped out into the road.
One more friendly period of black.
ness and he would be home. One more
body-racking effort and he would meet
the worst. face 10 face. and exhaust
all suffering. Then the tumble in his
brain cleared and the heartsickness
r turned and assailed him. and he