Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-06-02
Prisoners"
By FREDERICK CLARKE
t@ 1921. Western Newspaper UniOn)

ulster peered through the aperture III
the thick oaken door which served
also as a window. The room was
tiny one deep down in the bow of the
liner, and almost completely dark.
Can you tell me where the ships
prison is?' she asked and, seeing the
expression of surprise upon the face
of the man within, she added hastily:
"The captain told US that there's a
poor man in there who is being taken
back to America to be tried And l
. thought that as tomorrow is New
Years day he might like-Oh, | beg
your pardonw
There was no installing her con-
fusion. AS her eyes became accus-
toned to Obscurity she could see that
the mans leg was fastened by long
chain to huge ball Of iron.
II am the prisoner" he answered
quietly. "And thank you with all my
heart for the-money."
Il am so sorry" she answered, rec
ogniZing that the voice was that of
a gentleman. Even the thanks had
been at once an acknowledgment and
a refusal. She slipped the purse back
into her bag again. Forgive me-,
she said in humiliation.
''On one condition." he answered
THAT you come again to say good-by
and wish me good fortune when the
ship docks. Sympathy of any kind is
so entirely foreign to my experience
that-well, somehow l like it,
Eyes, l will come" she answered
gently.
That night the girl cried herself to
sleep in her magnificent stateroom.
Il wonder whether his prison is worse
than mine'' she sighed
Nearly four hours later the Pata
gonia collided with a French liner in
dense fog. She was struck fairly
amidships and crumpled into help
less wreck. The other vessel stood
by and, ten minutes later, the passen-
gers and crew were transferred aboard
her.
Down in the little prison under the
bow q man waited, forgotten by all
save one-a girl who had run to him,
still half asleep, her fellow prisoner
in the flesh, as she in the spirit
Cant you climb through the win
dow?" she pleaded.
won't you go back and leave me?'
the prisoner answered.
No." she replied. "They have
saved themselves and forgotten you,
the towards. I shall not go unless
you come with me-"
''Then," answered the prisoner, "yOu
will find an ak hanging beside the gal
ley door"
She found it and passed it to him
through the little window. She heard
the hammer of steel on iron. Present
ly he had hacked loose the chain, with
it's shameful ball, and began hammer
ing upon the timbers. In few min
utes the stout door swung off it's
hinges. They ran up on the deck to-
gether, along slanting passages and
fitting stairs.
The ship was deserted They looked
at each other and read their fate in
each others eyes.
"Why did you do this for me?"
asked the man.
Because l, too am a prisoner" she
answered.
you don't look like prisoner" he
returned grimly.
II will tell you then. I was going
back to America to be married to a
man | hate. It does not matter how
l came to be pledged to him. If / had
broken my troth friends would have
been ruined-friends to whom | owe
everything. 1t was my task to sacri-
fee myself. Do you want to know
more?"
He shook his head.
mot even my name?"
mo But you know nothing of me.
/, too, was returning to America, to
years of captivity for a crime COM
mitted. And l was guilty. You ought
to know the worst of me because I do
not want to die while you believe in
me-"
II wish to know nothing" she an
swered.
IF l had known you before, l might
have played a different part" he said.
The night wore on; only the gradual
fitting of the deck told them that the
end was inevitable.
Her hand stole into his and his fin
gers clasped it. A fierce longing to
live surged into his soul. In that i'm
minent danger their hearts we're re-
vealed, each to each.
"The ship may last till dawn" he
said. IF we are saved, will you come
with me to some far off country and let
us redeem our lives together?"
He felt her answering clasp and,
turning toward her, he took her in his
arms and kissed her.
The east grew light. Night was
gone, and their love had dawned as
hof