The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-20

ing possibility that at the last minute
some OF his plans had miscarricd and ne
mad been obliged to postpone the attempt
Night came and ! vas setting che table
Tor the evening meal when / heard the
sounds OF some unusual excitement oyer
IN the mems prison. across the road
There was much running to and fro
keepers were shouting to each other and
presently the prison bell began to ring
frantically. The sound OF the bell made
my heart jump--it was never rung
knew. except in case OF fire or when
prisoner escaped
wv hat on earth is that bell ringing for ?"
said the matron. / was just saying that
i didn't know and was trying to hide my
excitement when In rushed Dr. Collins.
all breathlesB and worried
Heard the news?" he shouted And boz
fore the matron could say yes OF no out
he burst with the whole story
Ned Lyons, the bank rcbber, has es-
caped! he said. Hes been gone since
noon and they never knew it until Just
now when they went 10 lock him In his
cell and found nothing there but his suit
OF stripes. It's the boldest escape there's
been in years.
According TO all accounts he walked
right out OF the main gate. stepped into
a buggy that was waiting and drove of
like gentleman or course he was dis
guised, and so cleverly they say that one
OF the head gate keepers bowed to him at
the gate thinking he was a member OF
that new legislative commission from Al
bany."
great weight rolled from my heart
Ned was free! managed to control nv
feelings and it was lucky did. for the
next instant l saw the matron pont a
warning finger in my direction and at
that the doctor lowered his voice SO that
l could hear no more.
Ned Lyons in Disguise
The next morning, Of course the whole
prison knew of the escape
IF get out I'll have you out in a few
weeks" Ned had promised, and every day
/ was expecting some word from him.
AS time went on. the confidence the
matron and the doctor had in me seemed ,
to Increase rather than diminish Soon
! was allowed to accompany the matron'a
little daughters on long walks through the
GROUNDS OUTSIDE the prison and even as
far as the village.
On one OF these walks my attention was
attracted by the peculiar actions of an
old Indian pe0dler. He was a COPPER
colored. long haired old chief with Indian
baskets and strings of beads on his arms.
AS soon as the girls and stepped out Of
the prison gate this queer looking, bent
O'N man DiHSiCO us OUT from all the rest
OF the crowd and began following us
about, urging us with muff1ed grunts to
buy some OF the bead goods he carried in
basket strapped around his neck
thought he was crazy and told him
very emphaticafly that I didn't want any
OF his trash. But this did not discourage
him In the least, and he dogged our foot
steps wherever we went
At last--more to be rid of the old fellow
than because wanted anything he had =
! selected from his stock a pair of bead
slippers.
AS handed him the money felt him
press little folded slip of paper into the
hollow Of my hand.
Quick as flash closed my fingers over
II and in that instant I recognized under
The old Indian peddler's clever Disguise
my husband. Ned Lyons.
He had come back to the very gates of
the prison from which he had escaped TO
bring this message to me!
Kate Leary. wife OF Red" Leary the
bank burglar, was coming to see me soon
so the note said. was to have my
plans for escape all ready to discuss with
her.
Now, the only way of getting out OF my
prison I had been able to discover was
through door which led from little
used passageway in the basement of the
matron's. house to point just outside the
prison walls.