Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-08-20

should have something to do to read.
the messages, for if my interpreter ton
OF the two words was correct | had
seven letters. Surely that would be
quite enough to give me the others in
time. though l remembered them i'm
perfectly and needed to hear them
again.
did not hear them. again till the
next night, but 1 heard other letters
and short words that added to my
knowledge Of the CODE The letter !
was used quite often by itself, as was
the letter A. Besides, when a con-
versation was ended during the day
the last words were two, and was
not long In Interpreting them as ''good
BY This gave me nine letters, or
third of the alphabet Within a
few days 1 had it all, but it required
practice to read. AS to telegraphing
myself, l practiced at sending messages
to myself by tapping with my finger
on the wall of my cell and soon be
came quite proficient
AS soon as could read readily de-
termined to take a hand in the dia-
.logues. Two men, both politicals, were
communicating, the one young man
who had been sent to Siberia from a
university; the other had been impli-
Gated in a conspiracy to assassinate
minister of police. The latter was
much older than the former-at least
he talked more sedately-wh1le the stu
dent was full Of hope and enthusiasm.
He was discussing with the other plans
for escape, which his correspondent
only bring down more horror on those
who attempted them.
The call signal I learned at the out
set. It was three taps at intervals till
the party to be called responded. When
was sufficiently practiced to hold a
conversation gave the signal. A re-
ply came.
what is it. Paul?'
1 made the reply myself. I said that
1 was political prisoner. young girl:
that I had heard their conversations
over the pipe and had Interpreted their
! code. l would be pleased to talk with
them when they were not engaged
chatting with each other. Paul, the
university man, asked me how long
| had been in learning the code and.
when | told him, cOmplimented me on
my readiness l asked him if he were
not afraid of the prison authorities be-
coming aware that he was communi
eating. to which he replied that the
prisoners all knew tie hours when the
guards were due and were careful tC
refrain from tapping when they came
round He added that the latter were
a stupid lot and If they heard the tap
ping and suspected code. could never
learn it as l had done
Doubtless the principal deterren
; from insanity among prisoners is plan
ming escapes. Paul. who. learned. was
in the cell directly below me, was full
of these plans, which he had beel
proposing to Alexis. who was in tn
!. cell above me- After I came into tn
trio Paul consulted me rather thai
Alexis as to the practicability of hi
plans. but l had not been there lon
enough to have any knowledge Of tn
. prison or the habits Of our guards an
l. could be of no use to him. Neverthe
less he finally laid a plan intended TO
my escape. with the assistance of tn
c other two. which Alexis pronounce
: feasible, though not probable. No es
cape could be made without bribin
the guard, and this could not be don
,. without his being able to make it aI
pear that he was innocent. A woman
Maria, had charge of the cells for tn
i woman prisoners. and I succeeded
T. winning her sympathy. Indeed. sh
8 became so fond of me that she woul
: willingly aid me to get away provide
G she should not suffer for negligence @
: abetting me in my escape.
Paurs plan was for me to effect
q change Of clothing with him, to preten
Il illness. be sent to the hospital and trus
g and go out as an unidentified prisone
There seemed to be no way to carr
'e out the tnitiatory part Of the plan unit
! proposed to do my clothes up In
Il bundle that could be put through tt
d window bars and let it down to Pa
le on the floor below, Then l would ha,
S up his clothes by the same means.
la could make a cord by tearing certai
la articles Of my clothing into strips.
70 We exchanged the clothing witho,
difficulty. and the next morning whe
a. Maria came around she found me
r. mans dress. l offered, If she wou
ae help me, to send her thousand rubl'
n from home. This she declined. b,
lit agreed to assist me because she pitit
r.. and loved Inc. though she would
,d obliged to leave the prison and Ka
+o as we'll as | if she did so. She we
an away. leaving my cell unlocked.
no agreeing to give her a couple of hou
nc to get away. 1t the end Of that tiI
walked out into the corridor till
10 saw a jailer approaching. then fell
- the floor Coming to me, he picked +
up and. not knowing who l was. b
thinking me to be i'll. sent me to
'p hospital. where l was put to bed.
-, The nurses were men. and l had