The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-20
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hanging loose over her back. The
prisoner was stalwart young fellow
of twenty.
Horse stealing"
Couldn't y find nothing better t
do than thatg'
4 didn't steal any horses. 4 man
with grudge against me put up a job
on me-"
rs that SO? Y ortn't t swing If V
didn't do it."
The prisoner went on reading pa
per that had been given him.
I'D let " out" she added in low
tone, only pop keeps too sharp a
watch on the keys, and there amt
much time
The young man turned from his pa
per. You can help me to get out Ii
you wish" he said.
"How?p
Can you get sawTv
Nothing but buck saw"
THAT won't do. Bring me file and
case knife"
Tops got a file among his tools. |
can get the case knife easy enough"
She went away. returning with the
articles asked for. The prisoner. COW
ering his hands with the bedclothing
that the fling should not be heard
proceeded to make saw Of the knife
With one or both he proposed to cut
away the bars to his window. This he
did while the jailer's daughter strum-
med on piano directly over his head
SO that the noise Of cutting could not
be heard.
When he had finished, the girl came
again, and he said to her: "Goodby. IL
get out safely, some day / may come
back to reward you"
I've been thinking Id go with YOU
she said, her eyes glistening
He looked at her earnestly for some
time without speaking. What be was
thinking she didn't kn,s7. AT last be
said
"All right. Meet me soon after 2
o'clock tomorrow morning outside the
wall"
When the prisoner heard the iailers
clock wheeze out in the morning. he
removed the bars, got out OF the win.
dow. climbed a wall and stole away
He was joined by the girl. and togeth-
er they ran for time, then when
they could run no longer walked and
consulted.
Its only five miles t the railroad
this way said the girl. Reckon we
better get on train"
Haven't got any money Besides,
we couldn't likely get train till morn
Ing, and they'd get us sure"
''What'll we do?"
Hide some place near by till the ex.
element has died out. There's thick.
ct Wen SO In there and see what we
can find"
They went into the thicket just as
rancher near by was going into his
stable to feed his stock He saw them
and wondered who they were and
what they were doing there. When
several hours later a posse headed by /
the jailer, frantic at the loss Of his /
daughter came along and asked the (
rancher If he had seen a man and
girl go by, he told them that he had
seen them go into the thicket.
Now, the thicket was large, and
there were places In it hard to get
through. 1t was ransacked, but the
fugitiyes were not found. The sheriff,
who was with the party, sent the jail
ers on with a couple Of men. while the
rest completed the search. lie intend
ed to burn the couple out ana expect
ed tile jafler If present would raise an
objection. fearing for his daughters
life.
The couple had wormed themselves
into d tangled place where they had
not been followed. Presently they
smelled smoke. The man paled.
"We must get out of this" he said.
And they dragged Themselves from
their hiding place and moved on, com.
ing to an open space. The man paused
and loosed about him. Then he began
to scrape away the dead leaves and
everything that could burn. The girl.
seeing bis object. joined her efforts to
his. The Ere came on, cracking and
roaring. and when 1t reached them II
found them in the open space covered
BIZ what loose earth they had been
able to scrape together The posse
followed closely in the wake of the
flames. Passing some fifty yards from
the couple covered with dirt and ash
es. they saw nothing more than q cou.
ple of earth heaps The prisoner and /
the girl lay still till they could no Ion.
ger hear sounds from the hunting par
ty. then arose and threw or the dirt
and ashes.
They stayed that day in the burned
wood and when the night came on, j
guided By the north star walked III
when they again rested "a !
wood. In this way, travelling nights
ana sleeping days, feeding ON berries
and what else they could find, they
but miles between them and the jail
Finally they brought up at large
ranch. and the young man led the way
to the house as though familiar with
he prenllses. A man came riding to- )
ward them on horseback. When ne
saw them. he refined in his horse
aFatber." said the young man, I've
same home. don't want any more IN
1snendenee. But for this girl | would
aave swung at the end Of Q rope I
lalsely accused by an enemy OF horse h
stealing"