River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-02

n toes We're Da0ly D1SIeTeQ Dy lnc
end of his second mile, and he was
compelled to stop and rest He did not
dare lie down for fear that fatigue
might close his eyes in sleep
When his feet had cooled and his
breathing had become normal again he
climbed to the top of a great rock and
looked toward Ossining. In the velvet
distance be could see the prison lights
high on the cliff above the village sta
ton. Below the cliff be saw tiny lights
twinkling. and at first he thought them
frefies. His years within prison walls
had destroyed his sense of perspective.
He studied these will-o'-the-wisp lights
and soon realized that they were from
lanterns swinging in the hands of men
hunting him.
The fugitive turned, threw back his
head and began to run. He increased
his speed gradually until he struck a
gait he thought he could hold for ali
hour without rupturing a blood vessel
The torn skin on his heels fell away
under the chatting of the heavy leather
and exposed the quick of his flesh
Blood began TO fill his shoes. but as he
ran he kept telling himself that he
could we'll afford to suffer ten times
the torture if he reached his goal-his
liberty.
He felt as if he had discarded his
number and was once again James
Montgomery. a human being. out in
the open. the ground beneath him and
the river running beside him 1t was
early summer. and the zoo night air
was sweet with the fragrance OF
breathing flowers and fields.
Ahead of him showed the northern
boundary lights of Tarrytown Once
be looked over his shoulder as he ran,
but be could o see the lanterns OF
the hunters He was beginning to
gather stronger hope of ultimate es
cape when the will-o' the wisp lights
showed ahead of him i. He stopped
short in his tracks.
1t was evident that the Sing Sing of
fcials had telephoned the police of sur
rounding villages. To his left was the
open country, but with villages every
three or four miles and from each vii
lage perhaps a squad of men with
lanterns, forming a circle to close In
on him.
To his right were the river and the
country beyond. a country he knew as
only one could know who rOamcd 1t III
boyhood He lost no time III deciding
Montgomery ran to the rivers edge
and stripped off the heavy prison
shoes. He peeled off the blood soaked
socks and from one of them TOOK the
money Bill had given him. This ne
tied in an end of his shirt under the
blouse. Then he hid the shoes AND
socks under a pile of rubbish and wad-
ed out into the river.
The clouds still covered the stars
overhead, and the river was black as
a river of ink. AS the water reached
his armpits be threw himself forward
and began to swim with a quiet, IN
derhand stroke for the other shore.
The tide was flowing out. and he be-
gan to cross ~diagonally to get the full
advantage of the current. He figured
that, with a steady stroke, he would
land just south of Nyack and In. the
great, friendly shadow Of Grand View
Reaching the middle of the river. he
changed his stroke. Until now be had
kept his shoulders under water, swim
ming undetermined. Now he used the
fast and powerful overland swing OF
the arms, resting himself from time tc
time by rolling on either side and us
ing the easier side stroke.
He reached the net poles and paused
to get his wind, but he was off agar
in a moment and soon made the shore