The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-07-06
Bill's
Redemption
~ ~N~N~NN
BY HUBERT RAY


Copyright, 1922, Western Newspaper Union.
Hell be making for Pixies Cross
ing, boys" said the sheriff, drawing
rein. If he can jump the Limited
where she slows up at the cutoff, l
guess that's the last Well hear OF
Bill BatemaS for quite some SPELL"
There were four in the posse. The
youngest turned as white as death.
"Pike's Cross? H-ll!' he said.
"My wife's there with the kid.
reckon we'd better hustle, sheriff, If
we're to make it before the Limited"
Bill Bateman had the brain Of
man within the body of gorilla. Dur
ing the three years that he had served
of a life sentence for manSaughter
of the most brutal character, his mans
brain had been working incessantly,
planning to make his getaway. He
knew that, once clear Of the peniten-
tiary walls, once in his primitive con-
ception of a world anything would
be possible.
Anything to one of his enormous
strength and cunning. Bill was un-
hampered by anything except the most
rudimentary elements Of conscience.
He had had only one love in life,
since the day when he was flung out
of home by drunken father, after
his mothers death. Somewhere back
In the past he had had wife and
child. He had beaten his wife. and
she had run away-with the kid. That
had made him mad. After that he
became the terror of the township.
1t was for an unprovoked and brutal
killing that, through the mistaken
leniency of jury, he had received
a life sentence.
His chance had come at last. There
was an honor system in the peniten-
tiary. Especially the young college
trained warden wanted to redeem
Bill Bateman. Now Bills conception
Of honor was the provioential selec-
ton Of a fool to run the pen. And
his craft had served him we'll. He
had feigned conversion and repent
ance. Three months after the young
warden's arrival Bill had been
trusty. He was free Of everything
except the pen gates. AS lifer, he
could not be allowed to pass them, as
the more favored prisoners could.
One night, when he was called to his
cell after the other inmates had been
shut up, Bill turned upon the guard,
stunned him with blow Of his huge
fist, and took his keys away. He
rushed the men on duty, knocked
them senseless, received and laughed
at pistol bullet through the hand
and opened the gates. Five minutes
later, in the dark, he laughed as he
heard the ringing Of the alarm bells.
No one could hit is trail across the
desert till morning, and long before
noon he could jump the Limited, which
thundered past the pen daily.
The gorilla figure slouched onto the
permanent way. The Limited was
almost due, and there were no signs
Of pursuit. He drew in a long breath
Life was his again.
Then he started as. he saw the tiny
figure Of a child sitting in the middle
Of the way. A little, Whitehead fig
ure, perhaps three or four years Of
age, waving it's arms and crying. Bill
grinned; hut of sudden something
turned his heart to stone
"The kid" he mumbled.
Then reason reasserted itself. OF
course this was not the kid. The kid
had been bigger than that at the time
else's kid! And, where there was
kid there must be a cabin. That
should mean a meal, money, change
Of clothes-perhaps there was an I'M
protected woman within.
The gorilla grin distended Bill Bate
mans face as he crept forward.
AS the Limited Numbered down the
gorge the sheriff's party clapped spurs
to their horses and galloped madly
down the trail. It was touch and go
whether they could reach the crossing
in time to signal her.
They were too late. Beaten by three
minutes! AS they rounded the bend
they saw the Limited swing into the
cut and begin to slow down to take the
curve. There had been stringent or
ders for this, on account of wreck
some years before. She slowed
II guess we're beat" cried the sher-
III, drawing rein.
But the Limited had stopped. And,
with renewed hope, the posse dashed
forward and, shouting franticauy,
drew rein at the edge Of the perma-
nent way.
The youngest member leaped from
his horse with an oath, rushed for
ward and snatched at little figure
between the metals, which screamed
with pain.
Daddy, my foot, my foot!
The little foot had got caught in
the point Of switch. He worked
frantically to release 1t.
Fifty yards distant the sheriff and
the rest stood round Bill Bateman's
mangled body. Line huge hand still
clutched the fragment of a peniten-
tiary shirt with which it had tagged