Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-12-09
CHAPTER XVII.
The One Path of Escape.


There was absolutely nothing for
me to do but wait, but 1t was hard to
judge time. The noise OF the camp
without was some guide, but, as the
evening heightened, band began play
ing overhead, and / could hear the
sound of feet on the floor above. Evil.
IDENTIFY dance was in progress in the
big courtroom, and for the moment
my heart seemed to stop beating In
sudden fear that my plan of escape
for that night was blocked.
1t was the big fireplace opening into
this room through which had hoped
to emerge, but / could never accom-
plish such hope amidst those dancers.
And they might keep up their dancing
to so late an hour as to give me no
opportunity before dawn to find a
place In which to elude search. Yet
the noise was in my favor, II I could
only be assured the chimney was
wide enough above to permit of ~
finally reaching the roof. Once there
l would discover q way down. The
grim incongruity of that merry party
above. dancing and laughing in the
bright light, and of myself In that
black cell below, waiting the certainty
of death the next morning, served to
steel my resolve.
could hear nothing of the guard in
! the corridor, although I listened In
tently, my ear against the iron door
| during a lull in that babel overhead
1t was hardly likely another inspection
| would be made, at least not until the
sentries were again relieved, probably
at midnight. To my judgment this
would allow me nearly three hours in
which to make my effort-and surely
| half that time should prove sufficient
| The band burst into harmony again
a polka, l remember-and ] tore free
the loosened support. 1t made ar
ugly bit of iron, well adapted for thu
purpose had in mind. Not only could
it be utilized as a lever, but 1t wa!
no mean weapon for use in emergency
It must have required fifteen o.
twenty minutes to break the iror
|
the point of my wedge. The bar. onct
inserted, furnished the necessary lev
erage, forcing the iron to yield abou
! the rivet heads. waited between thu
dances, recruiting strained muscles
and listening anxiously for any alarm
ing sound in the corridor. only t.
spring again feverishly to the worl
the moment the band resumed play
ing.
The barrier yielded inch by inch
until | forced fully half the iron cur
tain backward. jamming 1t against TIL
wall. and thus revealed the blacl
opening into the chimney. The open
ing which ] had uncovered was sui
ficientiy large to permit the squeez
ing through of my body. and, ono
within the chimney, found ampl
space in which to explore.
could see nothing, and was com
PEELED to rely entirely upon the sens
of touch. Iron bars had been left OF
one side the chimney, forming al
irregular ladder. My cropping hand
located these, and by their aid bega
to climb slowly upward. At the ieve
of the first story / came upon pre-
lection of rock. possibly six or eigh
inches wide, on which / found secur
foothold. and was thus able to regal
breath and strength for renewal G
the struggle. / was crouched opposit
the oldtime fireplace, and the band
playing noisily, was within very fe'
feet of where | hid. However. not
CLEAN of light was visible, and 1t wa
some time before / located the oper
ing which had been left for stove
pipe. Even then could feel no pipt
but, as / extended my arm, fnge
burst through the paper which ha
been pasted across the entrance. an
glow of radiance illumined the blac
walls about me.
waited, motionless, holding N
breath in fear that some eye Nigh
have witnessed the tearing of the pi
per; but there was no cessation {