The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-15
The Pledge 81
4444"
~ WlNIFRED DUNBAR

- WAENAE
IiiitlilllIIIlllnIlilIlll IIIIljiItIIllllllilIllI
0opyrignt, as1a. Western Newspaper Union.
The ~sertous-faced superintendent OF
the grim penitentiary sat at his desk.
pen In hand, q written list Of numbers
before him. Each number Indicated q
human being under the ban Of the law
md In his official charge.
'aThirty-nine. he observed to the
deputy warden seated opposite to him.
Who shall be the fortieth7s
Gravely the other passed over d
strip of cardboard upon which he had
hurriedly penciIed the numerals:
a .''
I'll take It on yeur say SO, OBJ
served the superintendent. sympathy
doesn't pay ID our line, but I think
you know your man.. 49,
II do. indeed, know him. replied
the deputy with warmth and feeling.
a Is patient hero, Il martyr, and
h modest, pretty girl, his 1ancee,
who has visited him regularly each
month since he came here Is a Jewel
Of loyalty and love. y s5 ]
Sentiment ID the case, too, chi"
questioned the superintendent. q don't
know how far a prisoner can be trust
ed with his freedom with love Ia the
question
Let me tell you briefly. about this
Robert Moody" urged the deputy. ~
have become Immensely interested III
him. sNs& sEEE
"AlI right nodded the superintend-
emf, resignedIy. aS
His story as / know 1t Is this: His
employer, a man named Hodges, q
stock broker, sold q widow woman, a
Mrs, Percival, some worthless mining
stock, taking her last Ave hundred dol
lars. She became seriously ILL later
and was told that an expensive surgi-
cal operation only could save her life.
Moody, indignant at the fraud his EN-
ployer had perpetrated, bought back
the securities, paying out the money
Of Hodges to do It. Then he handed
his resignation to the knave. The life
Of Mrs. Percival was saved and Moody
became acquainted with her daughter,
Nina Hodges manipulated the old ac-
counts of his business and had Needy
arrested for em~bezzlement. He man.
aged to convict him. Then Hodges
took a fancy to the GIRL She says she
will remain true to the lover who gave
mp his good name and liberty for her
mothers sake, IL she has to wait q
lifetime for his release" 80 80 !
aaSend in 4444,' was the only COM
ment the superintendent made, and
within q few minutes a young man en-
tered the room.
'4444," said the superintendent, II
have chosen you ~ one Of the forty
honor convicts." :
II thank you," spoke Moody, quietly
enough, but drawing In his breath as
though the first CLEAN Of freedom had
7 come. "' - < ~ p.
'The state has decided 10 send out
n experimental squad to make a park
at d town fifty miles away. It's men,
bers viii not year the prison uniform,
nor win an armed guard be put over
them. Think what 1t means for thou
sands Of c%onvicts pining for air and
sunshine and a free life, If, you forty
men are true to your promise"
Il shall not attempt to escape"
pledged 4444 fervently.
IF You return, every man In the
squad win be given SIX months
credit" " p~A:. \
It was like a transition to Paradise,
the new life of the honor squad. Not
d man among them worked as did
~ He became the director az tn
public work under construction.
III. Once Nina visited the camp. Fer
the first time in three years the, happy
lovers we're allowed to sit apart by
themselves under a tree and discuss
their hopes, their plans for the future,
their imperishable love. @
And then, at the end Of two months,
there ann q terrible blow to the
trustful Nina, a vivid shock to the
deputy warden; 4444 was missing,
had disappeared from the convict
camp. g .5-
Not a word was heard concerning
the fugitive for Owe Q month. One
night a mar appeared at the great
iron gate Of the prison and asked for
the deputy warden. A. the latter ap-
psared, the enveloping cloak and hat
were thrust aside. Pale, emaciatsd.
there stood revealed-Conyict 4444.
'eYou-your |" fairly shouted the ~
founded deputy, In amazement, and
then the clear ring Of Joy and rslisf
In his startled tones.
Yes, It Is I responded Moody,
weakly. Z have como back Of the
nrst moment Of my liberty"
why, ron ran away" @
"Never. ri druggsd whilo
slept III the convict camp, carried
away ANA locked up III the hands III
Oemies. beaten ana half starved until
this very day"
..Enemies-you mean-ls'
~sThe man who sent me I'd the peni-
tantiary-Ariel Hodges and his accom-
plices. See, some papers I got hold Of
when I escaped. They n written In
structions Of Hodges to his confed-
crates. They outline his plans"
The documents did Just that. The
prison rang with cheers Of delight
when It was known that 4444 had not
betrayed his trust and doomed the IN
ture of the honor squad movement.
At once the energetic deputy war
- placed the case before the gov
ornOr OF the state with all its details.
Ons OF the accomplices of Ariel
Hedges was arrested and confessed