The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-02

(Continued.l
 Would any of you gentlemen like to try the hammer, and see how heavy it is?'' the warden was asking.
 Harrison shrugged his shoulders.
 Thank you, no," he said, 'it is be- yond my aspirations"
 Peden seized the handle in a tight grasp and swung the hammer once or
 twice on the anvil. but it, was obvi- ously with an effort and he put it down again, panting.
 .It proves to me that I'm a farmer and not a blacksmith" he said, i've enough. What do you think you could do, Clarke?- With a shoulders aud chest like yours, you ought to have a lot of strength
 Maybe [ have" I said reclklessly. "At any rate I'll try
 I took off my overcoat and gloves, and seizing the handle, I swung the hammer lightly aloft. The old fam1- lar feel of it, familiar despite time passed. sent a singular thrill through me. For the moment I was compan- ion to Carter, the convict, a brother convict, and I was full of pride be- so easily. My muscles frightened and r;v lungs filled with air. much, I think as those of a medieval knight must have done, when he faced @ worthy enemy in the tournament.
 The iron had been heated again and placed upon the anvil. Crash! I brought the hammer down upon it. And then l. whirled it aloft and brought it down again and then again and again and again. The shop rang with the blows and I heard little cries of surprise that pleased me-. It was foolisl: of me and more than reckless, but the human mind will rebel at times gainst long suppression, and, for the moment, I was in a state in which I did not care. Thf tho?ughtlesss boy was in the ascendant
 The iron was, beaten out flat in much less time than Carter had taken. Then I cast the seat Hammer aside al,l began carelessly to put on my over- coat and gloves. Harrison gave me a critical examining look.
 'Upon my word, Clarke he said in his usual vein of light irony. ''you are quite prodigy. I should have thought that no man could do that without long and hard training"
 Carter was staring at me.
 1T didn't think anybody in the world but Charlie Johnson could do it," he said, and sudden shiver passed over me. All at once I realized my folly, and the insensate lboyish pride in mere muscularity slipped from me.
 TT trained hard at college with the clubs and balls,'' I said with affected carelessness, and then I turned to leave the shop, expecting the others to follow just as a group always fol- lows any one who pushes himself for ward as a leader. I was right, and I quickly had them out of the shop, but as I went I was conscious that Cart CTS eyes were following me in stare of bewilderment. Harrison also game me two or three more critical looks, but he seemed to be taking sort of physical measurement of me. instead of nourishing suspicious.
 felt better when I was outside in the clear cold air, though still in wardly bewailing my folly. I was anxious now to leave the penitentiary at once as the sight of it weighed up- on me, but did not choose to hurry, lest Harrison should conceive sud- Gen idea that I was anxious to get away from something. Of him alone I had any fear, because he alone was interested in watching me. But he did not revert to the subject and he was the one presently to suggest that we end the visit.
 When we left the penitentiary, I re- l turled to my room. Then I felt the shiver of apprehension again, but it quickly passed. How could any one i now connect me with Charles John son, the convict. The links that would | have bound me to him were not only 1 broken, but they were absolutely miss l irg. Such a thing as a similar iden- | tity would seem to the world impos- sible in this case.