Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-02-11

lights made the quadrangle as bright
AS day and illumined the high walls
and every nook and corner. Sentrles
I'm their little octagonal boxes stood
with their rifles in hand. keeping
sharp lookout.
A team of powerful horses tugged
ut the burden. anh the load OF machin
cry WIS started out. AT the gate the
head truckman told the guard that
his job was done for the night and
gave him II slip containing the list OF
pieces intruSted to him 10 deliver al
the Osslning freight station.
In another half minute convict No
30, 10S was outside OF the wall OF Sing
Sing. He braced himself with his
knees and elbows when the truck Jolt
ed over rough places In the road.
Bill had told him that he would lind
path down the cliff half mile north
OF the prison. 1t would lead to the
| railroad tracks. He was to find II and
| get away from main roads
Montgomery counted on one hour be
fore his tier guard would demand IN
explanation OF his absence at the ma
chine shop and then give the alarm.
He estimated the distance by the
speed OF the horses and at the proper
moment released the end OF the box
| He drew himself forth and tumbled,
with sldewise twist TO the soft. earth
road. On hands and knees he scram-
bled into the shadow OF some bushes
| and took his bearings
The road was deserted and the
houses all dark. The only sound was
| the creaking OF the load Of machinery,
which rapidly became fainter and
fainter He plunged down the path
and at the bottom OF the cliff turned
and ran to the south through the little
tunnel under the prison.
There were six miles to cover to Tar
rytown, then three and half miles
across the Hudson to Nyack and then
a mile and half westward TO the
West Shore railroad, which would take
him 10 the meadows of Newark bay
Bill's inside Information was that at
West Nyack be would get an express
freight at four in the morning 1t
would not stop until Homestead was
reached. There some of the ears would
be shunted TO the Erie tracks. and he
would be able TO slip into the tall
marsh grass just rs day was breaking
Montgomery had five hours ia which
TO make the schedule outlined for him
by his burglar friend lie took the Gin
der path between Tie tracks, brought
his clinched hands 10 his chest aud
started to run in swinging stride.
lis mouth closed and his head thrown
back
Z was not easy going. for the prison
hrogans are made OF heavy, stiff heath
cr with soles that would sink n diver
10 his task below The sea His heels
and toes were badly blstered 10y the
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 great rock and
looked toward Ossining In the velvet
distance he could see the prison lights
high on the cliff above the village sta
ton. Below the cliff he saw tiny lights
twinkling, and at first he thought them
freaies. 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. lie increased
his speed gradually until he struck a
gait he thought he could hold for an
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 Ill his shoes, but as he
ran he kept telling himself that he
could web afford to suffer ten times
the torture if be reached his goal-his
liberty
He felt as if be 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 cool night air
was sweet with the fragrance OF
breathing flowers and fields
Ahead of him showed the northern
boundary lights OF Tarrytown Once
he looked over his shoulder as he ran.
but he could not 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. lie 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 squad OF men with
/ lanterns, forming 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 roamed 1t In
boyhood. He lost no time in deciding.