The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-23
My Convict
BY JOHN Y. LARNED

was running my auto leisurely along
a road in the country and slowed up
even from that pace to turn sharp
bend in the road when suddenly
heavy weight dropped from an over
hanging branch into my car directly
behind me. Turning. l saw a man in
convict stripes rising to his feet.
Put on full speed" he said in a tone
TO indicate that he would be obeyed.
| did not see that he possessed any
weapon with which to enforce his de
mands, but It was evident that he was
an escaped jailbird and as such was
likely to be desperate As soon as
had turned the bend l obeyed his or
der, my speed gauge registering forty
miles an hour. The man climbed over
side me. The road before me needed
all my attention, but l took time to
glance aside at him. Now that he was
fleeing at so rapid gait his whole ex-
preston was changed. Despite his
stripes, | saw In him a man of refine
ment- He met my gaze with an hon
est look and said:
My friend, If you knew that instead
of defeating justice you are trying to
undo a frightful act OF injustice you
would be better satisfied. | have been
the victim of a conspiracy to defraud
bank of which l was cashier and
was sent to the penitentiary for ten
reptitiously saws, with which l effect
ed my escape. My object is to get out
OF the country, send for her and our
children and begin life anew"
While he was making this brief state
| ment | kept one eye on the road and
the other on him. / doubt if any man
can lie to me and impress me that he
is speaking the truth. did not know
that the man was sincere, but l felt
his sincerity. Knowledge may be de-
fective; intuition, at least with me, is
perfect.
"There is nothing" l replied, that
would give me greater satisfaction
than to enable you to carry out your
purpose. Where shall take your"
First you must throw my pursuers
Off my track. They are not far be-
hind"
"Get back there and cover yourself
up to the chin with the wraps"
He did 80, and his stripes were con-
cealed, but he was bareheaded.
gave him my cap. Seeing man ahead
of me wearing common wooden hat
1 stopped long enough to buy it, CIV
ing him three times its value. Then.
entering upon a long stretch of COM
paratively straight and level road, put
on the balance of my power. making
f1fty miles an hour.
"Do you know anything of the pur-
suit?" | asked.
"Only that my flight must have been
discovered long ago"
1--WE must have another suit of
clothes" was my pext remark. I'VE
shall have to stop Md buy one"
My passenger gave me some idea Of
the sizes he had worn before his incar-
ceration, and at the first opportunity
bought him the necessary outfit He
spoke of paying me for them some
day, but l told him what l would re-
quire would he his vindication or, at
least, a surety that he was what he
purported to be. He managed to
change his clothes under the wraps
and. crossing bridge, threw his
stripes into water flowing rapidly.
After this l decreased my speed some
what. for believed that with the start
and advantage we possessed my man
would not be retaken, at least for
some time.
Passing through town where had
business acquaintances, procured
funds and supplied him with what he
would require. Then, stopping at q
railway station, | secured a time table
showing trains for New York and, by
taking a longer route than the rails
put him on train without his being
obliged to wait at station.
Meanwhile he had given me the ad
dress OF his wife and asked me to cal
upon her to receive confirmation of hi
story. When he parted from me hi
efforts to express his gratitude over
came him, and he could say nothing
All he could do was to look It
AS soon as he had left me began Il
realize my position IL having aided ;
convict to make good his escape, and
was then that doubts began to troubl'
me. did not so to see his wife for I
considerable time after he and part
ed, fearing that she might be watches
and my visit would put the authorize
on to my infringement of the law.
saw In the newspapers notices of tn
escape from prison Of a bank embez
zler, and after the stir had quiete'
down made the call -.