Newspaper Page Text
jPiW!
pBMiiiiffliigi
to convict him. Then Hodges took a
fancy to the girl. Since Moody has
been in prison he has persecuted
Nina Percival with his unwelcome at
tentionsj but to no avail. She says
she will remain true to the lover who
gave up his good name and liberty for
her mother's sake, if she has to wait
a lifetime for his release."
"Send in 4 4 4 4," was the only
comment the superintendent made,
and within a few minutes a young
man entered the room. His convict
dress could not hide the nobility of
his face and manner.
"4 4 4 4," said the superintendent,
in his hard, decisive way, "I have
chosen you as one of the forty honor
convicts."
"I thank you," spoke Moody, quiet
ly enough, btlt drawing in his breath
as though the first gleam of free
dom had come.
"The state has decided to send out
an experimental squad to make a
park at a town fifty miles away. Its
members-will not wear the'prison uni
form, nor will an armed guard be put
over them. They will be placed on
their honor, have a camp of their
own and if, at the end of ninety days,
they return to prison with na attempt
to espape, the experiment will be con
sidered a success and the system
adopted for other prisoners. Think
what it means for thousands of con
victs pining for air and sunshine and
a free life, if you forty men are true
to your promise."
"I shall not attempt to escape,"
pledged 4 4 4 4 fervently
"If any of you do," continued the
superintendent gravely, "you crush
out a system that might mean life
and hope to thousands, you would be
cursed to all time by those whose f ur
ture you have blaBtedv If you return,
every man in the squad will be given
'six months' credit. That, with your
good time credit, would release you
from the prison before the end of the
year."
That was all; the superintendent
skeptical of the g6od faith of Convict
4 4 4 4, the deputy warden speaking
a last encouraging word to the man
in whose welfare he was so earnest
ly interested.
It was like a transition to Para
dise, the new life of the honor squads,
Not a man among them worked as,
did 4 4 4 4. He became the director
of the public work under construc
tion, he encouraged the others tq.
work out their chance for liberty with
earnestness and hope.
Once Nina visited the camp. For
the first time in three years the hap
py loyers were allowed to sit apart by
themselves under a tree and discuss
their hopes their plans forhe future,
thehMmperiBhable love.
And then, at the end of two
months, there came a terrible blow
to the trustful Nina, a vivid shock
to the deputy warden; 4 4 4 4 was
missing, had disappeared from the
convict camp. The curse of twelve
hundred convicts were registered
against him and a double sentence
marked against him on the prison
books if he was ever recaptured.
Not a word was heard concerning
the fugitive for over a month. One
dark, stormy night a maii, closely
muffled up,, appeared at the great
iron gate of the prison and-asked for
the deputy warden As the latter ap
peared, the enveloping cloak and hat
were thrust aside. Pale, emaciated,
there stood revealed Convict 4 4 4 4.
"You you!" fairly shouted the as
tounded deputy, in amazement, and
then the clear ring of joy and relief
in his startled tones.
"Yes, it is I," responded Moody,
weakly. "I have come back at the
first moment of my liberty."
"Why, you ran away "
"Never. I was drugged while I
slept in. the convict camp, carried
away and locked up in the Hands of
enemies, beaten and half starved un
til this very day."
"Enemies you mean?"
"The man who sent me to the pen
itentiaryAriel Hodges and his ac
complices. See, some papers I got
UdW.,
ii'" -
