Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-02-07
III-Continued

you'll do" Nance declared, and
held out her hand. Her cell proved to
be exactly what the matron had said
1t was-a small, neat white room, with
a neat little white bed and wash stand,
and q small chest of drawers, not I'M
like that Of a room In a hospital, save
for the steel door with an orifice In the
center Of 1t, and connected by a lock-
Ing mechanism with all the doors In
that tier Of cells SO that the throwing
of a lever locked them all simultane-
ously. Nance surveyed 1t with salts
faction. This will do me nicely" she
said. THANK you ever so much,
Matron."
She unpacked her suitcase, slowed
her few belongings In the chest of
drawers, removed her hat and sat down
on the bed to read the printed list Of
prison rules. But n of the rules In
terested her. She discovered she could
write letters once a month and receive
visitors once a month"; she behaved
herself. II must be mothers little
lamb" she decided. This Is some
joint to get out of, but where there's
a will there's a way" And she set
herself resolutely to discovering the
way.
Before locking-up time she thought
she had discovered it. 1t was the
fishermen In the cove just off San
Quentin point who suggested it to her.
In her stroll around the grounds she
Inspected the fence. 1t was sixteen
feet high, Of Quarter-inch steel mesh,
set on steel posts bedded In concrete,
and 1t ran along a concrete base. A
barefOoted woman, using her toes to
cling to the mesh, could climb the fence
readily enough, were it not for an
~eighteen-inch topping of barbed wire,
strung in strands four inches apart
and set inward at an angle of forty-fve
degrees. One could not possibly sur
mount that. Nor could one burrow
under the concrete base In daylight,
even were the means available. Nor
could one do 1t at night, because then
n was locked in the cell. But one
could stroll down the main walk to the
sentry box just outside the entrance
and appraise the situation there. As
Nance suspected, the gate was kept
locked and the guard had the key in
deed, the gate was never opened except
to admit a new prisoner or an official,
or to provide ar exit for a discharged
prisoner or official. However, Nance
did not despair, for the gate was mar
row-two feet-and there was no top
ping On 1t. She decided she would
climb over 1t some day when the
guards back was turned; ergo, the
thing to do was to induce the guard to
turn his backl
For q month Nance gave her thoughts
over entirely to this problem.
Lanny came into Doctor Burt's office
and laid a letter on his desk. It was
dated from San Quentin, on the cheap
prison stationery and read:
Dear Miss Lanning:
II can receive visitors next Sunday.
Won't you please come over and visit
me? I'm so lonely, and you were 30
kind to nj when ! visited Doctor Burt's
office. i have never forgotten you and
never shall. Sincerely,
Nance Belden,
mo. 1921"
aust think, Stevie," Lanny declared
proudly. "She hasn't forgotten me, the
poor dear"
II suppose you'll 90 over"
Indeed I shall. 1t would be terrible
II l didn't. You'll send her something,
won't you. Stevie7 l think that might
please her. think she'd appreciate a
portable photograph and a couple Of
dozen records. l understand model
prisoners are permitted such lux
urieS."
Stephen smiled. We'll, I'll stand for
that expense. too. Lanny. And l shall
await with interest the report YOU will
have to make on your return" Lanny
beamed.
The following Sunday afternoon,
therefore, the matron admitted Lanny
to the visitors room and sent for
Nance, who arrived on the run and
cast herself joyously into Lanny's
arms. Then Nance led the latter into
4 corner, and speaking swiftly and in
. low voice. said:
I'VE aren't permitted to be alone
with our visitors. Lanny. You'll notice
the matron remains In the ROOM. She
won't listen to what we have to say but
she keeps her eyes on us VIII you
smuggle a letter out for met I've goi
n all written, but the matron reads
al our letters before posting them
and ! can't have her read this one
It's to a very dear friend and l just
couldn't bear to have her read It. Be
Ssdes, II she read II, she wouldn'l
uail It."
IAnny's face rrew Crave ssDo v0i