Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-04

emerged it had grown quite dark, and
he took heart, feeling that he had
some chance OF making his escape.
But he well knew that a force from
the prison would scour the neighbor-
hood till every one of the laboring
gang outside the walls at the time OF
the storm had been brought in either
alive or dead or was known TO have
put a long distance between him and
the penitentiary; therefore it behooved
him to so on.
He did not overestimate the energy
OF the prison officials, for he had not
gone a quarter of a mile when, hear.
ing distant shouts, he turned and saw
a clump OF lights flashing in his eyes.
1t was too soon after the storm for
rescue party to have collected; such
rapidity could only have come from
the prison. Satisfied that it would be
better to employ strategem rather than
attempt to outrun these persons, be
looked about for n place OF conceal
ment. He was near a house that had
been spun around, its front door fac
ing a yard that had been in its rear.
1t had been partly wrecked. and the
fugitive crawled in under some lower
timbers, drawing a post over him to
indicate that It had fallen on him.
Having thus prepared to play dead
man, he waited in his uncomfortable
position under the timber which he
would make others believe had killed
him. The voices came near. and the
party at last tackled the house in
which Redfeld was lying with view
TO saving any person in it who might
still be alive. They were, as he had
supposed, the prison officials looking
for escaping prisoners. but they had
been Joined by several persons who
were bent on rescue work. Redfield
had taken the precaution to lie on his
face so that he must be turned over for
it to be exposed.
Here's a corpser' called a voice that
he recognized as that of the warden
of the prison. You fellows look into
it. We must move on"
The warden's footsteps died away,
and Redfield knew that another light
was turned upon him. Then the tim
Der was lifted off him. and he felt a
manu- lalu over MS uedrI-
Bring some liquor" cried a voice.
"This man isn't dead. We may save
him."
His jaws were pulled open. a flask
put to his lips and whisky poured
down his throat. He needed 1t. but
not for what the rescuers supposed. It
was required to give him strength and
courage to play his part. Having slim
ulated him, his reScuers carried him
| out and laid him on a board, # being
| evident from what they said that he
| was to await an examination from
surgeon whenever one could attend to
! him. But there were calls in so many
! directions that one by one his attend
| ants left him for more pressing duties.
There were by this time so many
| persons about that Redtield concluded
| that it would be safer for him TO tenn
! porarily Join rescue party than to
pursue his flight. Arising from his
| hard bed. he went to the nearest
wrecked house. where some men with
lanterns were working, and assisted in
the removal OF several wounded per-
sons. While doing SO he heard man
say to another:
"The party we laid on a board to
wait for a surgeon has disappeared"
impossible" said the other.
"Sure as you live. l found a doctor
FOR him, and when we found the place
where we had left him the board was
there. but the man was gone. l won
der If a rescue party came along and.
!
1t was midnight before all the wreck
ed houses had been examined and the
| persons engaged in the work dispersed
and stiffness reigned. Then Redfeld
began a tramp that did not end till
he had reached the Mississippi river.
! where under the name Of Jacob Thomp-
son he shipped as deck hand on steam
boat bound for New Orleans.
Meanwhile Mrs. Redheld learned that
her husband had escaped from i'm
prisonment during the cyclone and his
body found under n wrecked building.
though no one could account for his
having been there when the house was
demolished. 1t was two months after
this that she received letter from her
husband. dated at Rio de Janeiro. in
forming her that he was alive and
well and requesting her to join him
with the children.
Keeping the information to herself
and hiding her joy so far as she could.
she made her preparations to depart
and when completed sailed for South
America. though she made her move
ment with great secrecy, so that her
object should not be suspected.
In the interior OF South America il
living a man who calls himself Old
field, a prosperous coffee planter. who
could tell story that would bring
requisition papers from the United
States TO take him back to Kansas to
serve out a term Of Imprisonment
But he has grown older and so changed
In appearance that even were be re-
turned it would be a hard matter to
identify him So be has long ago
ceased TO fear being disturbed.