Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-24

".
Don Porter serving twenty-year
sentence for footing bank actually
looted by John Cole, it's president,
awaited in his cell. with we'll con-
cealed impatienece, the coming of the
prison electrician to fix his globe
What If he wouldn't come! What il
he had told the warden OF their lit
tie scheme:-and the warden, not the
electrician. would visit his cell to-
should be there now. Why wasn't he?
Any one OF a million things might
keep him. but there wasn't one of
them could in the least do his pros
poets any good. He was possessed OF
doubt and apprehension. and vague.
sinking fright that he had ever de-
cided on such a daring plan If 1t
were balked-if they caught him-ha
decided II would mean an additional
sentence. More years Of fruitless
Eearning and an almost unattainable
perspective of his hearts desire: but
quick, certain vengeance. his pulse
quickened and determine I'd risk
all expression permeated In every part.
and he had surceasc of his cowardly
fears OF n moment before. lie stopped
suddenly in his nervous pacing. the
sound OF footsteps on the uncompro-
missing cement floor adown tho cor
ridor causing his heart to heat such
inboundins thumps as his highly SEN
sitive imagination made him certain
would be heard in the adjacent cells.
The footsteps died out. however, in
the reverberating slam OF heavy
iron door. Another one" he thought
bitterly for moment and then his
own bitter disappointment. overcom-
ing his d!s!nterested sympathy. he
la 10 M .t.,I1 h,
law beast his prison life had made him.
Again footsteps-and again his sud
den stop, poised unw!tlingly on his
toes. The steps came nearer. and he
could distinguish more than two feet
The turnkey with him. OF course"
he thought, and realized how distra CT
ed his mind was that he had thought
OF more than two feet with apprehcn
sion. Nearer and nearer they came,
their steps, to his distorted imagina-
ton. echoins in unreasonable dispro-
portion. He went quickly to his couch,
and laid there, his arms flung care
lcssly over his head his inert body in
disputibly asleep. When they arrived
outside his door and the turnkey In
serted his key, Its grating in the iron
door aroused the cells occupant. ana
he jumped up, shielding his eyes In
well-feigned fear. as he approached
the light
Good evening. turnkey" and then,
without looking at the other. l-o.
Electrician Come 10 fin that globe?'
"Yean."
The door swung wide and the cleo
tric!an entered and swung his leather
bag on the cot. The turnkey stood out
side for a moment then turned and
started 10 pace with slow, even steps
outside the door.
The electrician opened his bag, and
with his right hand took ont heavy
roll Of green wound wire. J: entirely
hid his left hand (furthest from the
cell DOOR, which hand deftly lifted
something blue and shining and slipped
IT under the mattress.
The job took but a few minutes, the
old wire was pieced. new globe
screwed into the socket. and the cell
lit With "A chez t!css good night. the
two left. the petter waited till their
halation seeming inadequate to supply
his greedy lungs.
Colt. three files and note, He
read It, holding il in the palm OF his
great hand, with his back to the cell
door
Have tip. Cole gone to Los An
geles Name OF Richard Walker"
That was all. But il was. TO the
man who read H. an epistle satisfying
and complete Slowly his mouth
threatening. hideous. his eyes stared
hard as though through the heavy
walls. as though at something, clear.
distinct attainable beyond, and he drew
his fingers in a gentle caress across
the barrel OF the steel-blue Colt.
An hour later after changing clothes
with q scare Grow In the fields. he
swung aboard n slowly moving freight
train and started westward toward Los
Angeles to fnd John Cole, now Rich
ard Walker-toward the attainment Of
his hearts desire"
Continued TO-MorrOw.)