The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-01-07
CHAPTER XVII.
The One Path of Escape.

There was absolutely nothing for
me to do but wait, but it 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 l 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 l 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, if I could
only be assured the chimney was
wide enough above to permit of my
| finally reaching the roof. Once there
/ would discover a 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 l listened in
tently, my ear against the iron door,
| during 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 an
ugly bit of iron, well adapted for the
purpose had in mind Not only could
it be utilized as lever, but it was
no mean weapon for use in emergency
1t must have required fifteen OF
twenty minutes to break the iron
sheathing edge loose so as to insert
the point of my wedge. The bar, once
inserted, furnished the necessary lev
erage, forcing the iron to yield about
! the rivet heads. l waited between the
dances, recruiting strained muscles
and listening anxiously for any alarm
ing sound in the corridor, only tc
spring again feverishly to the work
the moment the band resumed play
ing.
The barrier yielded inch by inch
until forced fully half the iron cur
tain backward, jamming it against the
wall, and thus revealed the black
opening into the chimney. The open
ing which l had uncovered was sui
ficiently large to permit the squeez
ing through of my body, and, once
within the chimney, found ample
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 hands
located these, and by their aid | begaI
to climb slowly upward. At the leve
Vi Tic ulot Sloiy dpOh O ptO
lection of rock. possibly six or eigh
inches wide, on which | found secur,
foothold. and was thus able to regain
breath and strength for a renewal o
the struggle. was crouched opposit,
the oldtime fireplace, and the band
playing noisily, was within very few
feet of where l hid. However. not {
CLEAN of light was visible, and 1t wa
some time before located the open
ing which had been left for a stove
pipe Even then could feel no pipe
} but, as l extended my arm, finge
burst through the paper which haC
been pasted across the entrance, ant
glow of radiance illumined the blacl
walls about me.
! waited. motionless. holding m.
, breath in fear that some eye nigh
| have witnessed the tearing of the pa
per; but there was no cessation o
noise, no evidence of discovery. As
: sailed by a temptation to view tn