The Green Forest tribune., 1909-01-29

tdi 0d IdNC d lOii- liIIiC to tut Odl l will be waiting"
 By all the holy saintsl Who could it be that was bringing the much desired bolo? Who was bringing him sweet life? With sharp bolo he could cut his way to freedom easily.
 Matias felt along the wall cautiously and his hand encountered the hiIt of a great bolo thrust through a hole in the wall. Inch by inch he drew it in ward, and the blade cut it's way through the bamboo strips noiselessly
 Sometimes he took ten minutes to cut through a strip of bamboo the size of his finger. When a dog parked he gained couple of inches-when Taps" sounded he cut a slit foot long in the wall. In an hour his little door was complete, and when the sen try went around the guard house he crawled through and slipped away in the darkness.
 Queen of Angels! It was good to be free again. And here he was, under the very gallows which had been built for him. He stopped to curse the tim bers and the Americans, spat on the steps, and then stole through the palm grove to meet his unknown friend at the dead palm.
 Is that you, Matias?"
 "Yes. Who is my savious- Forever I am your slave"
 Come, said the unknown, Follow me. They will miss you in few minutes when the watch is changed and you must hide"
 Matias followed on in the darkness afraid that it was all dream and that ha would wake up to hear the guard calling him to make ready for death. l On through the jungle they went toward the hills, and Matias knew his :escuer was taking him to cave somewhere in the great canyon. where he could hide until an opportunity pre- sented itself to escape to Manila
 Soon he heard the sound of dripping water and he was guided into a small cave, and he could feel the damp and slimy walls of rock
 "Now,* said the stranger, "give me the bolo, for I must go back through the jungle and l need a weapon. Lie here until l come in the morning with food. Don't stir outside or make a noise, for the soldiers will be seeking i for you everywhere, and if l am long in coming do not fear, for We must be cautious. .Goodby.'
 Who are you?" asked Matias.
 You must not know until you are i safe-I am a good friend-fear not"
 May God bless you" said Matias, and he kissed the hand of the stranger Ten thousand blessings on your head and I am your slave for life"
 The unknown glided away and Ma tias heard him roll a stone in the en- trance Of the care and then all was 1 still, except the incessant dripping of the water It was better than the guard house, he thought, with the sentry pacing outside and the dreadful gall ows with the rope swinging from the ! beam, in the prison yard. He rolled a cigarette and smoked, and sat on his heels.
 All night he stared into the black ness, burning his hand at times with the fire of his cigarette when he found himself wondering if it were a dream. Finally, the light filtered through the crevices, and then a tiny sunbeam crept in through the entrance of the cave, but he did not move from the place where he had sat all night
 After long time he heard some one at the stone and form came in, and after his eyes had become accus- toned to the light he saw we'll dressed native standing over him with a bolo.
 Juan de la Cruz" he cried, drawing back in terror
 "Yes-Juan de la Cruz. The brother of Pascual, whom you killed It was I who helped you to escape last night"
 The feud," groaned Matias You have come to kill me, You dog, you took me from prison to bolo me here Why did you not let them hang me? I would rather be hanged a thousand times by the hated Americans than die by your hand
 T have not come to. kill you" said the other. That was my plan last night, for de la Cruz must have his vengeance. But the American colonel has offered 300 pesos for your capture Five hundred pescs will buy many masses for the soul of my brother The Americans will hang you and I will have no blood on my hands. Come the hangman is Waiting"
 He led Matias back to the village The soldiers put the irons on his hands and he saw the blood money paid to Juan. He saw the rope swinging in the breeze. The priest prayed. He stepped on the trap and swung into eternity.