The Ordway new era., 1908-11-20
A QUESTION
OF IDENTITY
sy Harold os'sss.

u.
Ing his beard. and his lips moved:
knew that he was uttering prayer
Then the Judge commenced MS
speech ! had been Justly convicted
OF a dastardiy crime. he said: l had
crept by night into the bedroom OF the
millionaire sheep owner and blown
him into eternity with bomb. AZ
for my defense OF mistaken identity.
that was too contemplate to require
notice. The cowardly cattlemen's or
ganixation which had. he did not
doubt. Inspired and hired me. might.
for the moment have escaped Justice.
But the law. though slow. was sure:
II would track down their leaders a.
It had tracked me down. ] could have
no hope OF a reprieve. and he recon.
mended me to spend what short time
remained to me In making my peace
with God.
| Men under sentence OF death seem.
even to their Jailers. to have atoned
already for their crimes and sins. For
the first time since my imprisonment
began the sheriff evinced compassion'
ate pity toward me as he sat beside
me IN my cell tnht night
My boy" he began. why not con.
fess and make your peace? Jim. you
amt never had no case. boy. Jim
amt your name. you say? You aint
Jim Crawford. but Frank Sandford.
and happened along about the time
the explosion occurred. Lad. didn't
they nnd the giant powder in your
bedroom! Isn't there 30 and more
people in this town identified you7
Your own brother came all the way
from Omaha to disown you. and then
had to admit you. You've been iden-
tiHed by your own photographs and
thumb prints and measurements in
the ST Louis penitentiary. and that's
surer than the gospels. Jim. An your
own dog identified you in the court
room. Jim. lad. I've never had to
swing a man but he owned up to me
before he died. I'd hate to send you
into eternity with lie on your lips"
The good old man ambied away at
last. shaking his head over my OBJ
stinacy. Well. was prepared to die.
but never. while the breath was in my
body. would I admit that was the
desperate they claimed me to be. Per
haps l. too, had been In the jury
box. would have convicted. Yet there
was one person who still believed In
me through all. since the first day Of
my Incarceration. and that was Mu.
riel, the sherifrs daughter. She &C
companied her father the following
morning when he brought me my
breakfast. and gave me a great bunch
Of roses.
Frank. dear" she whispered. as the
old man turned away from my cell
door. y trust and believe in you. I
know you're not Jim Crawford. but
my love. And I'll save you, Frank.
I'll save you"
surmised from what direction the
help would come. and my next inter.
view with Muriel confirmed my sus-
picions.
Frank. dearest" she whispered.
your friends are going to make Jail
delivery at midnight. And when
you're in the east again and safe from
all danger you must send me word
somehow and I will come to you.
And I'll walt patiently for months and
months, or years. II need be: for I
know you are innocent, Frank, and
shall love you always"
1t was a night Of horror such a. I
have never known. The suspense. A.
ways the suspense; the silent night,
broken by pistol shots. the batterinE
If logs against the prison doors; the
cries that resounded through the stone
ialls like rife hre; the long. eternal
igony of doubt-and then my rescu.
rs, masked men. brandishing their
suns like torches. bursting into the
| corridor to free me with the keys
which they had taken from the old
sheriff. who stood In their midst, help
lessly protesting-all this was like the
length, coming to- my Senses ! found
| myself seated upon the swiftest horse
n Cobweb leading a mare packed
With necessities Of life wherewithS to
:ross the desert
l thrust my feet exultantly inside
he stirrups Of wood; pressed my
<nees against my horses TANKS and
yathered the snaflie reins between my
ingers. Then, casting one glance
backward, saw Muriel's dark eyes
lxed upon mine in love such a. had
ot before come TO mo.
She had trusted me a. few women
rad done. could not leave her to
,at out her heart through the months
and years Of doubts and hopelsssness
could not go to freedom with a lie
n my heart such a. could have car.
ried to the gibbet leaned over my
saddlebags aand5whispered to her:
Girl am Jim Crawford"
Girl students win Honer..