The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-10

toni After this so-caIled death,
l was seized by a sudden desire to
look down toward where the death
watch was stationed. The wall lights
about No. electric bulbs-were
Tar apart, which cast a kind of un-
certain haze over the corridor and
the criss-cross cell fronts. A strong
beam of light was reflected from the
interior of the death cell-perhaps it
was there to enable the watch to
SEQ the condemned man we'll at all
times. 1t caused the dim outline of
a shadow to be cast upon the wall
behind the death-watch man.
No doubt the fellow inside that
hog" as his former watcher had
said-but how, if he were a sane
man. could he do so? In a few hours.
he would awake knowing that he
had but As hours yet to live. How
would he spend that time-those last
and the very last hour? Would he
change from a seemingly careless
person to one that was anxious.
nervous and afraid?
Afraid? Fearful? Being in dread?
of what? That would be--in case
OF the mans changlng-the question
as to him. And If it should even
tually come to the worst for me,
that would also be one of the ques-
tons as to me. Is it death we fear
or are we. fearful about losing and
leaving Rend life and the things
thereofH Irrespective of what we
may leave behind. what will we see,
feel, know and understand after
these bodies are left behind?
Dark Thoughts Fought Off.
L had been standing in the dark
ness of my cell looking out through
the small square openings at that
lone watcher Of the wife murderer
so soon to die. My train of thought
had seemingly run in a circle. And
l must get away from i'll
would simply force such tormenting
thoughts from me. Let me face
about as it were, and think on
pleasant things if possible.
What would the morrow bring
forth? No doubt 1 would be allowed
books from the library 1 would see
about that matter early and L would
do everything possible IN the way of
Keeping my mind off grewsome mat
tiers and taking the best care of my
self generally. BY carrying out such
a resolve would have everything to
win and nothing to lose-and truly,
upon gamblers percentage basis
II nothing else, it was well worth
the effort.
Again, as best could, I composed
myself upon the narrow bed. And
almost at once came those shifting,
rolling half dreams that betoken the
approach of sleep.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
When I awoke the wall lights had
been turned off, and the grayish
light that came struggling through
the narrow barred windows looking
out upon that inner court told me
that 1t was between daybreak and
sunup. Muffled sounds coming from
somewhere in the building-perhap
on the far side of the broad cell
block-indicated that the time serv-
Ing conyicts were already up.
In the corridor below the silent,
watchful figure was sitting as when
saw him last. He was not. in any
circumstances, supposed to look away
from the man inside.
Dutch Charley was moving about.
l made slight noise, in order that
he might know that l was awake.
Well, are you there yet, John?" he
asked cheerfully. Il just wonder If
poor old Frank is still hangin'
around down there"
His carcass must be there" I re-
Piled, because that fellow with the
brass buttons seems to be watching
something
Charley laughed louder at that.
Carcass, did you call it? You talk
like they do out on the range, John.
that carcass sounds like referrin' to
dead steer or something"
few mavericks in days gone by" ex-
planned. Have you ever run cattle
any,"
Have r. His voice Indicated a
new interest. We'll, you just ask
some OF 'em down in the San Juan
country about that. And If you're an.
ex-puncher. why. 1 hope that we can
get to exercise together and spin
few yarns about such things
W. swap oew 8 Q rs g
"Id be glad II We might" 1 told
Charley. and then inquired whether
he or should ask the guard about
Leave it to mo-" was his brief re-
That same morning Dutch and I
wore permitted to take our hours
walk together.
That was tho most interesting hour.
excepting several half-hour periods
at the county jail. that 1 had spent
since my arrest. Dutch Charley was
30 years old, had been practically all
over the world as q sailor, and the
last six years prior to his trouble he
had been minor, stage driver, cow
puncher and cattle rustler-the last
meaning. in plain ordinary English.
q person who steals cattle. And he
was no faker, either. Just as real
soldier knows the truth about SOL
diering when he hears 1t. so does an
all-round man of the rough travel
and rough style living know the
truth about that kind of life.
1 was thinking, at one point in a
-Aolv I:
usually interesting 1t would be In
print. whom Charley lowered his
voice and broke off quickly.
Don't look UP, John" he said to
mo, but listen and you'll hear some-
thing tho guard is tellin' the front
office over the phone"
I did glance upward quickly, then
down at tho ground again. I had
seen the officer on duty In that little
tower near US standing at a tele-
phone.
Yes" we heard him say. they
seem to be getting along fine. Dutch
is spinning some yarns and the other
tener."
Hear THAR" Charley whispered to
me quickly. what they don't know
about they think is 'lie-they're all
that way"
'All right-yes-yes, I'll do that
we heard the guard add in what he
imagined was too low a tone for us
to hear. "Yes-yes, that's right" he
went on half laughingly: st will
help to keep their minds off the mat
ter"
O O o
Then Comes Friday.
Hear that. john" Dutch ques-
toned, without even glancing at me.
They've got our interests at heart,
eh?'
And then my neighbor of Murder
ers' Row proceeded with the telling
OF something that carried us. figu-
ratively. far away from our circum-
scribed and trying situation.
Charley's story telling was respon-
BILE. as 1 found out later, for our