The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-07-27
CHAPTER XVII.
Ths ons psth q Gseaps.


Ths One Path q Gseaps.
There was absolutely nothinS for
me to do but wait. but II was hard to
Judge time. The noise Of the camp
without was some guide. but. - The
evening lengthened. band began play.
ing overhead. and I could hear the
sound Of feet on the door above. Evi.
IDENTIFY . dance was In progress in the
big courtroom. and for the momeat
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 iato
this room through which I had hoped
to emerge. but I could never accon-
plish such hope amidst those dancers.
And they might keep up their dancing
ts 20 late an hour ~ to give me NO
opportunity before dawn to hnd .
place In which to eluds search. Yet
the noise was In my favor. II I could
only be assured the chimney was
wide enough above to permit Of my
finally reaching the roof Once there
! would discover . 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 4 lull in that babel overhead.
II 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
q polka. remember-and tore free
the loosened support. II made an
ugly bit of iron. we'll adapted for the
purpose had in mind. Not only could
1t be utilised as . lever. but It was
no mean weapon for use In emergency
1t must have required fifteen or
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. I waited between the
dances. recruiting strained muscles
and listening anxiously for any alarm.
ing sound in the corridor. only tn
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 ! had uncovered was suf
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 sen Sc
OF touch. Iron bars had been left on
one side the chimney forming ar
irregular ladder My cropping hands
located these. and by their aid I began
to climb slowly upward At the level
of the first story.I came upon a pro
lection of rock possibly six or eight
inches wide. on which found secure
foothold. and was thus able to regain
breath and strength for renewal oi
the struggle. was cronched opposite
the oldtime fireplace. and the band
playing noisily. was within a very few
feet Of where hid. However, not 9
gleam Of light was visible. and II wa,
some time before | located the open
ing which had been left for a stove
pipe. Even then I could feel no pipe
but. as extended ny arm. a finger
burst through the paper which hat
| been pasted across the entrance, anc
glow of radiance illumined the black
walls about me.
waited. motionless. holding m.
breath In fear that some eye mish,
have witnessed the tearing of the pa
pei; but there was no cessation o.
noise, no evidence Of discovery. As
sailed by a temptation to view ths