The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-06-09
Released
r.
BY A W. Quincy
(Copyright.)

above his head was the arched roof
Of the rotunda, from which the cells.
tier above tier. radiated IKE spokes
OF a wheel.
Motlonless he stood, his shoulders
dropped, his pallid face expression
less. His suit Of gray had been dis
carded for a blue serge Of cheap ma
terial-a product OF the prison shops
which had absorbed the understandable
but ~unmistakable prison odor. The
flannel shirt had been replaced by a
coarse but warm sweater which came
well up around his thin neck.
A trusty passed directly behind the
deputy warden, and from his lowered
eyes shot n glance which No. S62 cor-
rectly interpreted as one OF congrat-
ulation and farewell. For No. S62 was
about to receive his discharge.
For twenty monotonous, tagging
years had this barren citadel of stone
and steel been his abiding place. Day
In, day out, year In, year out II had
been the same routine, until It. had be-
come part of his very nature. His
record had moi been bad, as the be-
havior of 'long-termers'' averaged;
nor had It been sufficiently good to
earn for him the liberal reduction of
sentence which the laws of the com
monwealth provided for model prls-
oners.
He had tried to live up to the rules,
but something within him had led him
astray Mt intervals. What that some
thing was he could not understand.
much less explain. To the prison Off
cials he had been a mystery. His first
lapses had been attributed to cunning.
yet there had never been any ugllness
In his actions or expression, but rather
n listless disregard of regulations
which earned for him accomplishing
days in solitary confinement.
The last time this had occurred was
fourteen months before. The prison
ers In No. Sd2's corridor had been
lined up for the march TO breakfast
When No. S62 deliberately left his
place and Started for the door near
~ htb' VI tiht lnt ne was SHuTDlY
ordered back, but continued at a mod
crate, stumbling gait, as IL oblivious
OF his surroundings.
Two guards. trained by years of ex-
perlence, grappled and threw him to
the floor. The other prisoners were
ordered back to their cells, and No.
S62 was led away to the dark room.
That night every prisoner and every |
cell in the corridor were searched. but |
nothing of a contraband nature was |
found. Latterly thesguards had come |
to accept No. $50 as eccentric-"bat-
ty," they termed It; and while he was
regularly disciplined for his subse-
luent slight infraction OF the rules he
was no longer considered vicious or
treacherous.
The ponderous deputy warden
welded the pen which was
the twenty years history Of a
human life.
NJ last the entry was completed and
the book closed and showed
INTO place. The deputy warden ex-
tended his pudgy hand over the desk
N the nearest approach to cordiality
which he could assume.
"Goodby, Williams" he said. take
OF yourself and don't get back
lere. You're old enough to 20 straight
he few years you've got left"
Williams hesitated, then slowly
placed his limp hand In that of the
warden. He moistened his
lips. and his face worked spasmod-
cally, but no sound came from his
.hroat.
Slowly, like one under the influence
II an opiate, he turned his face toward
he door which separated him from the
'reedom which had been denied for
nearly half his lifetime. Even then
lie hesitated, as II expecting to be
allied TO account by some one In au-
There was no sound except the scuff.
scum of a trusty's felt soles as
passed through the rotunda. The
at the deputy warden's
lesk had summoned the doorkeeper
rom n OF the long rows of offices
the double steel doors. and
hey had swung open. inviting VII
lnms TO the new world beyond.
As he passed the portals his heart
eemed TO rise and turn In his breast,
nd he caught a quick. sharp breath.
I was the Unborn fear OF being called
ack, punished, and again made TO
ace that uncempromising grind. but
o hand stayed him. Vaguely he
card the do0rkeeper's gruff but kind.
Y words of farewell. They were a
Meaningless tumble OF sound to his
ulled comprehension.
Down the stone steps. along the
hort, tiled path. and he was on the
His pace did not quicken,
is head was not lifted. His eyes
ere downcast, and there was the
anne hunted, furtive look at passers-
" which had haan 0lxan H.. 81