Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-24
Copyrighted 1911 BY Harper 4 Bros,

YES we find him guilty of wilful murder, melord"
answered the red faced juryman guping and wipng
his face with red-bordered handkerchief, which he
looked at Immediately aftcrward Instantly it
seemed, ten thousand eyes turned upon Pon,an.
The red-faccd juryman sat down with bump. but
little at his side nudged him, and he sprang up
again. 1--WE recommend the prisoner to mercy,
lord" he continued. "On what ground?" the judge
inquired leaning forward and toying with the velvet
cloth. Previous good impulse and sudden character,
the red-faced juryman answered. II will forward your
recommendation in the proper quarter" the judge re-
Piled He pulled the velvet into the shape of cap and
put it on, and suddenly clergyman bobbed up at his
side. his loose sleeves Tapping like crows wings.
Have you anything to say why sentence of death
should be passed upon YOU" the judge inquired.
81 didn't do it. Pm innocent" said Poman. "And
I'm Adventist" he continued looking with resent
men upon the representative OF the Established
Church The Judge talked to him for while, the
clergyman stretched out his hands, and presently Pol
taken away. He felt extremely proud of the
notice he attracting and strutted of the dock
He looked up hastily The Eye watching him.
He hated it.
During the first of his three weeks Poman, in fact
exhibited precisely those qualities which his jaers had
anticipated He had gone into his cell docilely and
proved excellent prisoner 1t during the second
week that he awoke suddenly in the middle Of the night
hearing the pounding of his heart Something was
bursting inside his head; sckenng terror tortured
him. and his throat and tongue felt though they had
been lined with emery-paper. And all at
body seemed to say: you're going to be hanged
You're going to be hanged!
He sprang from his bed tossed off his blanket and
to the faucet in corner of his cell, from which
flowed continuous trckle of water. He placed his
mouth under it. Instantly, with a click, the trap Of
his cell went down. Polman looked round. The Eye
shone out from the centre of human face For the
first time the prisoner realized that this was part of
He went back and lay down under the gaslight. He
pondered through all the creeping hours of the night
He must anticipate the fuhlment of his sentence.
Somewhere assuredly he could obtain piece of glass,
a metal edge, little flexible cord But his concrete
cell contained neither spnters nails. In one cor
trckled necessarily from the faucet into
plugess basin; in another was cement shelf with
Bible; opposite the door, iron trestes were rivetcd
two planks of perfectly smooth planed wood, with
straw-stufed mattress, pillow of the kind and
two blankets of fbrous substance. His food came
to him in vessel of soft tin His spoon was of wood
And outside, fixed on him, always the Eye.
Suicide impossible. When the watchers saw that
he had ceased picking at the threads in the blankets
they knew that this stage of his captivity was past
With the disappearance of this hope terror became
regnant. Although he not conscious Of the lapse
of time several days had been spent by him in this
When the cloud lifted from his brain Polman began
perceive pair Of shoes, from time to time under
the steel door outside. He connected them with
the face above; in other words, they part of the
personality of his jailer Sometimes however thew
wider and larger than at others there must be
two pairstwo jailers. Polman began to talk to them
Especially at night, when his terror awakened him
and his heart pounded in the cage of his ribs when
the sweat streamed down his face and limbs and the
nightmare of sleep had changed into a wakeful de-
lirium. Polman began to feel the yearnng of sick
toward those who attend on him. When the dawn
stole into his CELL dmmng but not obscuring the gas
light, when the town noises began and birds sang
somewhere without, Polman began to plead with them.
But neither answered him. He tried to break down
their impassivity with sudden questions. One dav
while seated upon the floor, he heard name called
and saw the square boot shifted. The next morning
when the flap of the door down. he called suddenly
to the man outside.
"Donadson!
The jailer started involuntarily The prisoner had
caught him; he aferward caught Evans the head
ailer, in the same fashion.
He pursued his advantage when the flap was dowr
for his breakfast
Fine day, Mr. Donaldson" he began 81 want tc
tell you I'm ready to meet my end You needn't mine
talking to me about it," Donaldson's stare was per-
, fecy impassivc Poman changed his attack Say
old man. who won the Rugby cup! ne continued.
Donaldson did not relax an eyelid
t "Everybodys got meet his Maker day." sale
, Poman 81 know it's the law. l don't hold you re-
sponsibe Mr.. Donaldson. I haven't any ill-feelne
against you You're only doing your duty But 20,
1 know In, innocent, old man. AS Gods my maker
swear I'm innocent. My lawyer was rogue. | wan
to send an explanation to the Home Secretary. ! wan
4 some paper and ink and a pen-a fine pointed stee
n pen" he continued with cunning afterthought :"
can't write with Stub Won't you get it for me, Mr.
s Donaldson? There's reason why we shouldn't b.
f.; good friends, is there?
The jaler stared at Polman stodly, his expression
: inscrutable The Welshman leaped forward with
snarl
" my God, won't you say word to me?" he shreked
: 81 haven't said anything to hurt your feelings h.
r II didn't do it, tell you. Will you listen if ex
t. plain? If you can't talk raise your right hand TO
yes" Donaldson neither spoke nor moved. Polma