The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-03-08
CHAPTER VIII.
Tho ndersiusiy

] iftAI" lI4lk Will
Tho Understudy
Harry went out 10 the gate
Tho Waterman looked up. sur.
prircd. Hello he said. The half
hour isn't up already. Ia IT. or did
you weaken"
Harry laughed NO, II he an.
swercd. airily. rive had no end Of a
lark. Id have stayed longer. only
I've got rehearsal on. I could have
pulled the wool over their eyes for
week
Tho Waterman was chuckllns AZ he
unlocked tho outer barrier Wei.
that's ono on tho deputy warden he
Hald. approximately You're a clever
one 10 have pulled Il orr
Harry stepped jauntiiy thru. Tho
gate changed shut behind him.
Tho sound srni Ia his soul the first
I aEunix~d stab OF futility lie had
won thru those pitilczs encircling
walls. yet what chance had he OF ulti.
mate escape. after hlG Then. even
~ tho cold wave Of hopeiessncu-
SWEEP; over him. he saw the actors
Empty motor.
In another minute he was IN It's
scat. his hand touching the lever OF
The self starter. IL was not OF
mako which he knew. bu, ho had
always been an ardent tno,orsst. and
before tho machine was well under
way he had mastered it's essentials.
1 As tho snow-durtrd road spun out
behind him. he drew deep. gaaping
brcatha Of the cold air Tho alarm
would com. soon. When the genial
young ,rag-dian returned TO IN. Of.
| fec building. he would be likely 90
assume tina; HIS suggestion had been
acted upon. and his clothing bestowed
in another room. subsequen, inquiry
might be worth n few minutes.
| Par 10 the right line OF telegraph
poles thrust up darkiy against the
skyline. A quick plan flashed to his
mind. The road was topping a gentle
rise now. where tho wind had swept
tho hard ground clear OF snow. He
stopped. and cast a glance before and
behind him. no vehicle Was in sibht.
He sprang out and pulled out the
rails OF the fence that lined the road.
then ran tho motor into the field and
I "
where stood n group OF hayrieks
which would offeotuaily hide IL from
the highway, lie left the fur over
coat and the vailse In the car. re.
placed the fence rails and ran across
the field TO tho railroad track A
quarter 81 a mile further along stood
"A small country station and he turned
his steps thlther. making shift. aa
he went TO wipe tho Rfeasc paint
from his face with John Starks per.
fumed handkerchief.
The ticket seller was sweeping out
his tiny box OF an office. what Is
the next train west7" inquired Harry.
None TIL nine tonight" was the
reply. There's ono duo I'm 20 min.
utcs. but she only stops for thru pas.
senRcrs"
Before entering. Harry had gone
thru John Strks pockets; now he
pushed bin under the little wicker.
Il happen TO be going thru" he said
easily.
Tho other made out tho ticket with
elaboration. and went out TO the
platform TO affix the red flag. The
minutes that passed thereafter the
lone passenger was all his life to re.
member an a ghastly interval mea.
sured by dragging epochs OF time
When the express came to Its grind.
ing stop. cold drops of pcrspiration
! were on Harry's face. lie swung
himself aboard and went forward to
the day coach
Five minutes later the train
stopped at "A water tank. A half.mile
away rose huddle OF dingy yellow
walls. Thru the silence there came
"A deep. duh boom. repeated again and
again-the sound OF monster bell
tolling.
Windows went UP along the car.
Harry lifted his also. with outward
coolnesss. but with a curious spasm
OF the heart. The conductor stopped
to peer beside him.
TITS the penitentiary alarm" he
said. "A prisoner must have
escaped"
Night had fallen. the dark relieved
by the dim luster OF n new moon.
When Sewer rose and sauntered back
10 the platform. Tho train was pass
ing thru defilc and laboriously puff.
ing up a grade. He looked back into
tho lighted car. no one was observing
him. He buttoned his coat close
about him and. posing on the lowest
step to choose his ground. sprang off
into a snowbank,
| He had made his leap with all the
care possible. but the speed OF the
train was such that only the snow
and his padded clothing saved him
from serious injury. As II was II
was minutes before he could regain
his breath He rose painfully. but at
the first step collapsed with groan.
realizing that he had twisted his
ankle badly. With lips compressed
from the wretched papg. he rose
again and set the injured member TO
the ground. forcing 1t 10 bear his
weight For while each step was
agony. then this dulled somewhat