The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-04-08
Winners
Escape.
BY COLIN S. COLLINS.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.

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Lake Hammond penitentiary had
been built on an island in the lake from
which it took its name long before the
campers discovered what q lovely place
the lake was. At the time of its build
ing Hammond had been fifty miles
from the nearest town of any size, and
only n spur track ran down to the
shore of the lake, connecting with the
fat bottomed boat that ferried the
freight cars over to the island. Now
the south shore fairly bristled with
camps and huge hotels. Even on the
north the beach and the numerous lit
tie islands were dotted with white
tents and weather stained log huts.
The campers objected to the presence
Of the penitentiary, with its great gray
barracks and its forbidding iron bars
across the windows. That the peniten
tiary was there first did not alter the
situation. The permanent campers
wished the prison removed that they
might enjoy their three months in
camp unterrified by the thought of
possible jail delivery.
No stone walls surrounded the island.
Only here and there a guard hut dotted
the white expanse of the stone pier,
which had been built entirely about the
island. ready to shoot at any prisoner
who might rashly try to escape. Few
tried. 1t was a good two miles to the
nearest shore, and in the winter the
white expanse of ice made back
ground against which a convict would
become a fair target for the guns.
Nancy Barlow liked to run her boat
in close to the wall and wave her hand
TO the prisoners sullenly working on
the new wing They could not wave
back, she knew, but she liked to believe
that this sign from the world outside
cheered them in their work The
guards all came to know her and the
trim little racing motor boat They pre-
sented arms with a grin as she sped
past the wall and Nancy had the feel
ing that they answered for the prison
ers.
Her little motor was the fastest boat
on the lake, and she spent her days
speeding up and down the placid sur
face. She consumed vast quantities
of petrol, but the outdoor life was
bringing back the roses to her cheeks,
and James Barlow would have run a
pipe line to the lake If necessary to
bring about that result. He had re-
fused his consent to the marriage of
Nancy and Fred Wilmer, but he felt
vaguely troubled when he saw how the
.pt,.l l,n1 4 c1a oil In hn1
left in the world, and he could not lose
her too. 1t was as much this as a
tendency to wildness on Winners part
that had led to his refusal, and could
he have found Wilmer he would have
reconsidered his determination.
But Wilmer had dropped from sight
and none of his old acquaintance
knew what had become Of him.
Nancy had learned to handle motor
under his guidance on the lake the year
before, and her devotion to the boat
was in part due to that fact. AS she
guided the little craft among the chan
nels he had shown her, she liked tc
dream day dreams of the time whe1
they two should share a boat again
So real was the imagined presence al
times that now, as Nancy pulled pas
the prison island and looked on the
parade ground, she rubbed her eyes as
she noticed the leader of file of con
victs making their way along the edge
of the wall.
1t did not seem possible that it coult
be Wilmer, but, as the little file came
nearer, she was certain. Wilmer ha(
never worn a mustache, and there wa.
no mistaking the face. She even fan
cied that she caught a CLEAN of recog
milton in his eyes, as he passed will
firm tread. She shut off the power an(
turned to look after the men in tn,
striped suits. 1t came as a shock I,
her that Wilmer was wearing tn
stripes. She was certain that he hat
done nothing to deserve Imprisonment
II must have been all a mistake an,
he had been too proud to call upon hi
friends for aid. She turned her boat
sgs determined to visit the prison office an,
find out something about the cause
which had led to his incarceration.
AS she did so there was a suddel
commotion in the line. The even trea
oi the lockstep was broken, and WI
mer, with sudden dash, had knocke
down the keeper and sprung into tn
water.
A score of keepers rushed to tn
water wall and emptied their rife
after the escaping convict, while tw
of the prison boats which happened I
be close at hand started in pursui
Nancy was quicker yet Throwing O
full speed, she faced the fire from tn
shore and from the first of the tw
boats. In moment she was besid
Wilmer helping him into the launcl
Then she sprang to the wheel agai
and headed for the mainland.
why didn't you let us know tha
you were in troubleT" she demande
as the boat, once more under contro
hummed toward the shore 1--WE woul
have helped you out. You know tina
Fred -