The Washington times., 1909-06-12

- Hill returned 70 MS cen with INC
u pail n which the little convict
whose number he had found to
be 1929, had slipped the bar Of
bradshaw was still in HE bunk and
did not move when Daring entered and
began scrubbing the floor, on hands ana
knees, his back to the door
When Phil took ont the soap he found
on one side OF II there were deep
scratches. as though they had been
made by a nail
Placing that side of the soap up he
rubbed the smooth side on the Iloor anu an,
looked carefully at the scratches While
he worked. 1t was easy for him 10
make them out through his fingers, and
no one would imagine what he was DO
ing.
Phil made out that the scratches were
printed letters that formed words. In
an instant he realized how this means
of communication had come TO be
Soap was one article about which the
prison authorities were very lenient A
man was Obliged to return the pail each
morning, hut The soap was often re-
tanned and used in many ways.
The men creased the cracks in their
shoes with II. pasted up pictures IN
their cells, using the soap for glue and
made it useful in dozen different
ways.
For these reasons the cakes of soap
were not watched, and one could be
understood that No S9g9 had been try
ing % give him this message for sew
eral days lie was sorry that he had
not accepted before.
ii took him longer than usual to scrub
the cell that morning " hen he had
finished, the message, scratched into
the bar OF soap, was firmly imprinted
He repeated it many times to himself.
so that he would remember every word
Of IT,
The message had read:
18Th From supper,
Ladder N +. cor
No. picket. Dark,
That was an. and yet no. sSSI. his
wits sharpened by the close confue-
ment, understood perfectly that it was
Ia his marches through the yard he.
too. had noticed that COnvicts were
painting a building in the northeast cor,
ner, near the walt, and that they left
their ladders standing by the buildings
over night. Phil had calculated the
height Of them and found that they
reached within four u nvS feet from
the top OF the wall
He was certain that ne understood the
MESA ge correctly. The 18TH evident
Iy stood for the date OF the escape, and
that was only two days away
Phil planned the whole thing out in
his mind on the evidence found in the
MESA ge- Evidently the idea was that
the Convicts in the plot az q precon-
ders, carry them a short distance from
the buildings To the prison wall. and
climb over
that northeast corner. on their return
from supper, on the 18th The further
Information that IL would be dark and
no picket was on duty at thar spot was
encouraging
Having thought it all out. Phil was
lust about to turn the cake of soap
over and erase the message BY one
quick rub on the floor when Bradshaw
voice broke out above him.
What are You sleeping on the job
forE That soap amt hypnotized you,
has it?"
answered Phil quickly, 10 hide his con
fusion.
well I saw you looking at it loving
~ an I thought maybe it was an old
friend OF yours, or somethin'-" There
was a curious note i'm the voice that
bothered Phil.
Turning abe bar over quickly he gave
two or three hard rubs and obliterated
the message.
Bradshaw watched with interest.
What are you doin' that for?' he
ausried.
your business" suggested Daring, rising
and throwing the soap and rag back
into his pail
wen. maybe it amt: but I've heard
OF soap beiu' used for many things IN
prison You weren't readin' n0thin'
through your fingers, were youf'
"What do you meau2 cried Phil in a
startled voice
"Oh. nothin' much" replied the other
rolling out of his bunk and dismissing
the subject.
PIN wavered. II Bradshaw knew Of
this plan he could not afford TO risk
joining the others. Bradshaw would do
hts best TO keep Daring I'm prison.
As Phil stood IN thought a guard
passed the door quickly Catching sight
Cf him he stopped abruptly and shouted.
what are YOU standIn' there 5u
trance for. No SSH Come Get that
bucket back. The rest are all through.
The breakfast bell viii ring in min
ute"
Phil started and obeyed the order me
chemically
When the line formed for breakfast
Pills eyes met those Of No. S999. In
the little conVicts face there was a
plain question.
Daring hesitated Then he gave a