The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-03

tred would know l threw IT, ana | believed that in order to try to help himself he would be only too glad to tell the searchers I began to see large headlines telling of my plans for escape. And l could picture the disgust and sudden change of feeling on the part of any people who might have felt small measure of sympa- thy for me- What fool l had been. My confused thoughts were inter rupted by a single tap of the gong that told of the beginning of tho rotary movement. My cell would be opposite the stepping out place within Ia seconds more. l reached under the blankets and took hold of the tube and then decided to leave 1t there and trust to luck.
 CHAPTER XII At the last moment another thought fitted into my mind. req ached under the blankets and seized the tube with the saws in it, grabbed a blank sheet of paper, took pencil from my pocket. and when l stepped out into the corridor I was holding all of them in my hands.
 Close up to and just beyond the ! set of bars between the office cor ridor and ours stood the sheriff, the | day iailer and four deputy sheriffs Only the smiling sheriff spoke to me
 Good morning. Jack-how are you?' He reached hand through the bars.
 Fairly well, sheriff, thank you And l shifted the paraphernalia to my left hand and took his hand in my right.
 You look little bit paler than usual Jack" he went on. Not sick, are you?"
 My heart Is beating a little toe fast this morning" I told him, which was true--I felt that it might burst I'm subject to papitation at times. '
 The rotary kept on turning, and other prisoners were stepping out and walking back along the outer l corridor.
 "Dou you take anything for 1t Jack?" he inquired.
 "Oh, no--I just have to wait 1t out But say. sheriff, could I get you to mail this for me?" l indicated the tube. It's picture from the sup plement of Sunday paper, and it's so good that l though I'd send it to friend. I didn't want to fold 1t, SC used this tube"
 "In Finish Addressing It."
 He glanced at the tube. We're l told me. You give it to Joe''-mean | ing the jailer-"after bit"
 All right-thanks. I'll finish ad dressing it."
 From where I had seated myself on a low round topped stool over near the window l glanced uncon- | cernedly across at the row of off cers. All of them were watching the | turning of the rotary and at that moment it was beginning to stop which told that the complete circui, had been made and all of the occu 1 pants dislodged.
 I quickly pulled the package of | closely wrapped saws from one end i of the tube, tore off an end of the wrapping and, as steadily as I could 1-keepinE an eye on the officers in the meantime-began to shove them one by one through the upright bars and underneath the window frame 1 The last saw could not be slipped far enough under to get it out of sight but l could not wait there longer working with it.
 | l stuffed the wrapper back into the tube, then took my pencil. rose from the seat and spread the blank sheet of paper out on it, and wrote the name and address of a fictitious per son. When l strengthened up and looked around no one but kind of half-witted fellow. who was being i held pending an examination. was watching me. All the other prisoners were facing the front and watching the. sheriff and other officers.
 Taking up the stool. I quickly mov- ed over toward the bars again, then l began looking around oii the floor as if in search Of something.
 Just then the sheriff faced my way
 O o O | Three Fly Three.
 Lose something, Jack?" he in quired
 'I thought l had a string" said | without looking up, and taking few more glances about that corner Guess l dropped it. I wanted to tie i that wrapper with the address on the | package.
 Joe will get you some mucilage and you can stick it on." he sug- | geSted, then looked toward the other waiting prisoners and spoke to them Now all of you boys wait here in | this end of the corridor" The other prisoners kind of gave way to the left in a bunch and stood waiting. They had their backs