The Adair County news., 1921-09-20
CHAPTER XII.
Jailed.


Gainesville nestles close between
the points of two outlying foothills,
and it is a delightfully."- lazy and old
fashioned town. For the most part it
is made up of gabled old brick houses,
which have pretty settings of green
lawn, roses, heneysuckles and trees.
Even in the small business district,
the streets are lined with trees. They
have electric lights there, and water
mains, a common school and a high
school, a courthouse, a jail and a
theater.
1t was a little after nightfan when
Dale and the other two men rode
through the shaded streets. Dale noted
that the people they met under the
swinging lights spoke cordially and
with marked courtesy to his cOmpan-
ions. 1t was very evident that the Of
ficer and Major Bradley were in high
standing in their home town.
Sheriff Tom Flowers drew in before
hitching-rack that stood In front Of
the courthouse, a great old wooden
building with a clock in its tower.
"WeT dismount here" said he.
They did. The major took the rein
Of Dale'S horse.
"Fu see that the animal is well
cared for, SIR" he said to Dale. And
as soon as have seen to on horses,
I'll be with you. l wish to TAX mat
ters over with you. Suppose 1 bring
supper for US both, eh?"
Dale thanked Bradley, and turned
away with the officer. They walked a
short block and entered a low, square
building Of brick and stone of which
the windows were small and high and
barred with iron. Dale knew that it
was the Gainesville Jail, and his heart
sank in spite Of him. Just as death
! by violence had been entirely new to
him, so also was this entirely new to
| him.
Flowers took a ring of heavy keys
from the hand Of the jailer, and led
the way down whitewashed corridor.
1t was not yet bedtime, and the other
prisoners were still up; some of them
were reading newspapers, others were
trying to mend their clothing, still
others were doing nothing. A few of
them called out boldly and bade the
new prisoner welcOme-and each of
these received a gruff order from the
sheriff to keep quiet. Dale paid no at
tention whatever to his would-be
tormentors.
At an iron door at the end of the
corridor, the officer halted and faced
about.
eff there could be such a thing as
comfortable cell here" he said in
low and kindly tones, "it's this one."
He went on earnestly: "NOw want
you to believe me when tell you that
it is with real regret that put you
behind a door of iron. But if I didn't
do it, somebody else would do it; and
it's possible that I can be little more
decent about it than another officer
would be-"
II realize all that, y'know," replied
Dale, "and I'm very much obliged to
you, sheriff"
Flowers unlocked the door, and Bill
Dale walked in. Flowers locked the
door and went away.
Dale began to inspect his quarters.
To all appearances, they were at least
clean. There was a narrow bed COW
cred with a pair of gray blankets, q
stool and a sOapbox, and nothing more.
The light in the corridor behind him
made snaky black lines of bar-shadows
on the brick partition walls and the
outer wall of stone. Dale shuddered
in spite of himself. He put up one
hand and turned on a small light,
which dissipated the uncanny shad-
ows-and showed him a line from
Dante's Inferno" that to him seemed
very miserable; some former occupant
of that cell had written it with char
coal On the whitewashed outer wall.
Then Dale sat wearily down on the
narrow bed, leaned his head upon his
hands, and began to think.
He had always wanted difficulties
to overcome, barriers to surmount, a
work to do, a fight to fight for him
self. In full measure he had found
them every one. He did not doubt his
ability to overcome the difficulties, sur
mount the barriers, do his work well
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