River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-08-17


The negro came over to him, and
bent down.
Il was layin' on a board what I'd
worked loose at one end" he whis-
pered hoarsely, back OBJ de bench.
but couldn't jerk it out wid'out
something ter pry it up wild"
Where is it?"
Right yere, Massa Jack"
It was a heavy twelve-inch plank,
part of the flooring, and the second
from the side-wall. Keith managed
to get a grip next to the black fingers,
and the two pressed it up far enough
for the white man to run one arm
through the opening up to his Shout
der and grope about below.
There's a two-foot space there" he
reported, as they let the board settle
silently down into position. "The back
part of this building must be set up on
piles. l reckon we could pry that
plank up with the bench, Neb, but it's
liable to make considerable racket.
Let's hunt about first for some other
weak spot"
They crept across the floor, testing
each separate board, but without dis
covering place where they could ex-
| ert a leverage. The thick planks were
! tightly spiked down. Nor did the
walls offer any better encouragement.
Keith lifted himself to the grated
window, getting glimpse Of the
world without, but finding the iron i'm
7 movable, the screws solidly imbedded
in the outside wood. He dropped to
the floor, feeling ,baff1ed and discour-
aged.
1T will have to be the plank back
of the bench, Neb," he announced
briefly, wiping the perspiratiOn from
his face. Get down there, and work
it as loose as you can without making
any noise, while l keep my ear to the
door and listen for any interruption. "
They took turns at this labor, dis
covering a loose nail which gave an
opening purchase at the crack, thus
enabling the insertion of small wood
ell block, and insuring space for a
good finger grip when the right time
came. A sleepy Mexican brought in
their dinner, and set it down On the
bench without word, but on his re-
turn with supper, the marshal accom-
panied him, and remained while they
ate, talking to Keith, and staring
about the room. Fortunately, the sin
gle window was to the west, the last
rays of the sun struck the opposite
wall, leaving the space behind the
bench in deep shadow. Whatever
might be the plans of BLACK Bart
and his cronies. Keith was soon con
WINGED they were unknown to Hicks
who had evidently been deceived into
thinking that this last arrest had
created no excitement.
That's why we picked yer up SC
early" he explained, genially Bart
said if we got to yer afore me boys
woke up they'd never hear nuthin
bout it, an so thar wouldn't be nc
row. He didn't even think thar'd be
emmy need o. keepin' a special guard
ter-night, but reckon l won't take
no such chance as that, an I'll have
couple o. deputies prowlin' round fel
luck. When Carson does wake up
she's hell"
He left them tobacco and pipes, anG
went away evidently convinced thai
he had performed his full duty. The
two prisoners, putting smoke-rings into
the air, heard the heavy clang of the
iron bar falling into place across the
door, and sat looking into one anoth
er's faces through the deepening twi
light In the mind of both black and
white reposed the same thought. The
negro was first to break the silence.
"'Pears ter me, Massa Jack, like
dis yere Bart pusson am mighty anx
fous ter hab no suspicious raised"
anybody but Hicks would Sc,