The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-20
THE CHAIN
BY Harold Carter.

BY Harold Carter.
The conyicts were chained In pairs
by heavy links OF steel that bound
them together at the ankles and yet
left rom enough for them TO pursue
their labors upon the foundations oil
the new prison. Near by, three guards
with loaded rifles stood alert for any
infringement of discipline.
Two OF the men appeared ill-mated
MISUNDERSTANDING Mccarthy was q
hugh red-haired Irishman; he was
serving 20 years for murder in the
second degree. His yokefellow, Rog-
ers, was a little, thin, melancholy AM
erican now in the fourth of ten-yeaT
sentence for grand larceny.
Evening was approaching. All
strained their ears TO hear the big
bell boom out the recall. A cold and
thick mist was rising from the hoi-
lows. With sudden swiftness it drew
toward and enveloped them. The
guards shouted to the men to fall into
line.
Nov /" whispered the little man
into the big mans ear. Their plan
was OF long standing. They had an
ticipated just such contingency.
Hidden in the mist, they had got A
clean start OF so PAGES before their
flight was discovered. They heard
yells behind them. Bullets. fired at
random, whizzed over their heads.
They plunged on into the fog, running
easily together, though linked. The
fog grew thicker. Darkness fell.
They ran, painting. Now the shouts
and the discharges OF the rifles were
far In the distance.
They had put half mile between
themselves and the guards before
they dared to fling themselves pant
Ing to the earth. Then up and on
again, racing up the slopes of the
mountain.
They had long rehearsed this en-
deavor. IL they broke loose, they
would Ale of their chain with stones
and jump west-bound freight two
miles above the junction, leap on an
hour later, steal clothes at house,
and make their way TO Chicago sep
arately. II was a desperate scheme;
but Mccarthy faced 20 years, and
Rogers had seven TO serve.
They knew that they were secure
till dawn In the cave that they had
found on the wastes OF the mountain.
Eight hours to file their chain. They
began to file upon the crumbling
mountain stones. Holding IL as the
ends OF a saw, they worked IL back
and forth against the boulders. After
an hour they paused, the Precipitation
streaming down their faces. Not a
link showed traces, except that they
had polished the forged steel TO a
brilliant CLEAN. An hour afterward
they gave up the struggle.
'I'll die sooner than go back there
Mccarthy swore, striding toward the
railroad, along which from time Ia
time a train plunged In a shower OF
sparks that fiickered like firefiies
against the velvet night
All through the night they wandered
| TO and fro In their frenzy. now filing
desperately and vainly upon the soft
friable stones, now wrangling and
cursing each other in their hopeless
ness. Toward dawn they found them.
selves upon the railroad track.
I'VE may as well give up, jim
said Rogers. Let's go back. They'll
git US when IT'S light anyhow"
Damn you!" snarled Mccarthy. "it's
easy 20 talk-when you've only, a
stretch OF seven-an' me almost a
| lifer."
"what're you goin' TO do, Jim
Rogers pleaded, as his companion
dragged him along the track by
weight OF muscle. As he spoke they
heard, far away, the rumbling Of the