The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-12

INC bOuuu VI my lduSuCer WAS
quickly followed by the grating Of
the key in the lock of my cell The
warder entered regarding me with
anxiety. Hitherto his demeanor
had been enc of contempt. But this
afternoon l could see t:lat he was
bespoke a personal interest.
whats up?" he said. did I
hear you laugh?"
made him DO answer, but went
on laughing The warder stepped
to the door, pecped up and down
the corridor. and came in again,
shutting the door behind him.
Look here, l can't have you 60
ing off your head just whef you've
recome valuable" he said in a
hoarse whisper "I'd meant to keep
it to the last minute. lest the chap
lain or the governor should pay you
Il visit ard notice anything, but I
must chance that-sooner than
have you go barmy. l can tell you
W yOu laugh OA
the right side of the face"
They have sound that l am inno-
cent? I am hardened, or at least
reprieved?" / cried.
IF you raise your voice like that
I'll knock you down." said the
brute, advancing step. Par
doned! Reprieved!" he added con-
temptuously. = They don't hand
round pardons and reprieves to
your sort. It's me that's the par
doner and repriever, and III tell
you the way of it, if you'll promise
to keep quiet"
Feverishly l promised and strove
to be calm while the hulking fellow
poured his whisky laden tale in my
ear. He had been heavily bribed by
well wisher" of mine, to arrange
my escape from Winchester prison,
and to put ME on the way to safety
afterward. The details were all cut
and dried. He would bring me a
warder's uniform, and ] would
leave the prison with Elm at 8
o'clock when he went off duty and
the night shift came on. He would
take me to his home in the town.
supply me with private clothes and
do all that was necessary to give
me clean pair of heels.
But the thing is impossible!
faltered. you have to hand me
over to the night warder."
Hes in it, too" was the laconic
rejoinder.
You will be both discarged."
at has been made worth our
WHILE" said the warder, with SER
donic grin that left no doubt as to
the truth of his statement, though
1t increased my dazed perplexity.
The only person on earth who be-
lieved in my innocence, so far as
knew, and who cared enough to
snatch me from the gallows was
my own true love, Janet Chilmark,
and she, poor girl, could never have
satisfied these venal sharks out of
her limited means. Yet I could
think of no one else, and concluded
that Janet had made some super
human effort to raise the needful
money.
To my further importunate ques-
tions the warder only said that my
friend" would wait, to render me
further assistance. at the PILOTS
Rest" a third rate hotel at South
ampton, whittier l was to go that
night.
The next few days were the most
nerve straining since my arrest. AL
ways there was present the
thought that the warder's state
ment was a horrible jest at the ex-
pense of wretched prisoner. 1t
seemed too good to be true" that
certain doom was to be changed
into at least chance for life, and
what meant more than life--a
chance to re-establish my inno-
cence.
With so much to tell of the next
few crowded weeks | will rapidly
pass over the details of my escape
They were quite without incident
Clad in the official costume, l
walked out of prison with my surly
rescuer, and went to little house
not far from the gates, where
changed into a suit of tweeds. Then
he handed me a sovereign for my
railway fare, and babe me catch
the $3.50 train for Southampton.
mo need to skulk," said the
warder. "There won't be any hue
and cry till morning, when my
mate will give the alarm, and you'll
have met your friend by that time.
Don't forget the address-the
Pilots Rest Backwater street.
Southampton. Give the name of
Tenant. and ask for Mr.. Herzog."
no