The Washington times., 1909-06-07

, stretch Bradshaw whispered TO Phil,
| just after the guard had passed.
| Daring. remembered With relief that
! prisoners were forbidden to talk during
the day. He would not be bothered by
this pest again until night.
Phil scrubbed out the cell tEa- morn
Ing and Bradshaw stood around in his
way, with a satisfied grin. But a guard
was near by and he could not taunt the
young man.
Immediately after breakfast the line
for the shoe factory was formed. Phil
fell in and marched to his place.
There he fou11 that BRADSHAW had
| been shifted to the same cutting bench.
They were not only destined to sleep in
the same cell, Int they mist work side
by side,
Had It been any other prisoner Phil
would not have cared so much. But
this man. whom he had caught in the
act o. stealing his uncle's silVerware!
Thai night Phil crawled into his bunk
Immediately after dinner. He did not
even look at Bradshaw, who watched
him Ike cat.
You're a nice, sociable sort OF
matey" grumbled Bradshaw as he saw
Phil get into his led
Receiving no reply the ugly little
convict grew more warm in his taunts
until one OF the guards Silenced him.
PM fslT great relief at this, but
II did not last long: from the lower
bunk Bradshaw muLtered in lower
voice; ne seemed to be mad all the
way through.
Next day they worked side by side
IN silence. Phil was cutting out shoe
pattern just before quitting time that
night BY sidelOng glance he found
his Cellmate repairing a bit of leather
with long needle used in sewing
leather.
Suddenly Phil noted a furtive move
ment on the part Of Bradshaw. The
convict had deliberately broken the long
needle in two. Both pieces fell on the
floor.
A guard hearing the snap. stepped
over at once. Bradshaw explained that
flaw In the metal had been responsible
Tor the accident and, after shutting his
rect about In embarrassment for few
moments. dropped 10 one knee and be-
gan searching for the broken pieces.
As every tool used by the convicts
was carefully checked off at morning
and night, the guard stood close by
during the search and watched Brad
shaw closely.
Tho prisoner picked up one piece and
handed il TO the guard. Then he con-
unued the search for the other.
Must have rolled down a crack" he
suggested in explanation, when the
second part could not be found.
Look well" urged the guard, scan
ming the floor himself.
But after ten minutes search the
second part was not found, and the
guard made a report Of the incident.
When they had resumed work again,
BRADSHAW turned toward Phil for an In
slant Their eyes met. The ex-coach-
man drew down the corner of one eye
and his lips ywitched at the ends.
At the same time his teeth snapped
together and the upper lip Curled almost
imperceptibly.
Phil understood. II was '1ip-Ian-
guage. and the threat signaled by
Bradshaw was stronger than any he
could have uttered.
All through dinner Phil thought OF the
sinister look he had received from his
feiloW-conVict
They had been in the cell not more
than fifteen minutes tlat night when
the guard stopped abruptly ar the door
and sang out:
Letters for 1851 -
Phil had learned to answer to his
number. and vaulted from his cot at
once.
Three letters were handed in TO him,
Bradshaw looked envious, ana could not
help remarking:
IT they're love letters it'll do you
lot of good to read them now, showing
that they've been handed all around the
prison office"
Phil paid no attention to the man. but
crawied back into his bunk, eagerly
hUgging the envelopes.
The first that he opened was from DR..
Lyons, and il was rather dismal The
doctor explained Eben's condition, and
said that it was practically useless TO
try to get anything out Of him. adding
that Bob was making an effort BY law
to have Eben placed in his care
The letter closed with doubt to