Part 62 (2/2)
II
The inclement winter has laid a heavy hand upon Harry The foul hot air of the cell-house is aggravating his complaint, and now the physician has pronounced hi the population Hygienic rules are ignored, and no precautions are taken against contagion Harry's health is fast failing He walks with an evident effort, but bravely straightens as he , Aleck,” he says, ”I don't believe it's the con It's just a bad cold”
He clings tenaciously to the slender hope; but now and then the cunning of suspicion teststo wash his hands, he asks: ”Can I use your towel, Aleck? Sure you're not afraid?” My apparent confidence seems to allay his fears, and he visibly rallies with renewed hope I strive to lighten his work on the range, and his friend ”Coz,” who attends the officers' table, shares with the sick boy the scraps of fruit and cake left after theira sentence of twenty years, spends his leisure weaving hair chains in the diht of the cell, and invests the proceeds in warm underwear for his consumptive friend ”I don't need it htly waves aside Harry's objections He shudders as the hollow cough shakes the feeble fra hin of spring, ”Coz” conspires with e of the yard The consumptives are deprived of air, i locked in the cells In view oftime, the Inspectors have promised me fifteen minutes' exercise in the yard I have not touched the soil since the discovery of the tunnel, in July 1900, alreater need of fresh air, and perhaps we shall be able to procure the privilege for him, instead
His health would i his case before the Pardon Board It was an outrage to send him to the penitentiary, ”Coz” asserts vehemently ”Harry was barely fourteen then, a ive such a kid sixteen years!
Why, it means death But what can you expect! Remember the little boy as sent here--it was somewhere around '97--he was just twelve years old, and he didn't look ht him here in knickerbockers, and the fellows had to bend over double to keep in lockstep with him He looked just like a baby in the line The first pair of long pants he ever put on was stripes, and he was so frightened, he'd stand at the door and cry all the tiot ashamed of themselves after a while, and sent him away to some reformatory, but he spent about six ,” ”Coz”
concludes hopelessly; ”it's a rotten world all right But et Harry a pardon Honest, Aleck, I feel as if he's my own child We've been friends since the day he caood boy, only he never had a chance Make a list, Aleck I'll ask the Chaplain how ot in the office I think it's twenty-two or may be twenty-three dollars It's all for Harry”
The spring warms into summer before the dime and quarter donations total the amount required by the attorney to carry Harry's case to the Pardon Board But the sick boy is h resounded in the night, keeping the men awake, till at last the doctor ordered hie has been taken by ”Big Swede,” a tall, sallow-facedin pain The passing guards mimic him, and poke him jocularly in the ribs ”Hey, you! Get a ht; pressing both hands against his side, he shrinks at the officer's touch ”You fakir, we're next to _you_, all right” An unco, sickly smile spreads over the sere face, as he murmurs plaintively, ”Yis, sir, me seek, very seek”
CHAPTER XLVII
CHUM
I
The able-bodied men have been withdrawn to the shops, and only the old and decrepit reht duties of assistant prove too difficult for the Swede The guards insist that he is shaed to stifle his groans I protest against the mistreatment, and ahead,” the officer of the hosiery department, now proreets rin ”I knew you wouldn't behave,” he chuckles; ”know you too daantic Colonel, the new Deputy, loose-jointed and broad, strolls in with long, swinging step He glances over the report against uard, in cold, impassive voice
”Yes, sir”
”Go back to your work, Berkhead” struts into the cell-house, in charge of the barber gang As I take uard hastens toward me ”Get out of that chair,” he co toward the second barber, a former boilermaker, dreaded by the men as a ”butcher”
”It _is_ro barber chiet out of that chair?” He advances towardhi passes along the waiting line The keeper turns purple, and strides toward the office to report me
II
”This is awful, Aleck I'ht, too,” ”Coz” whispers at ly, ”you can count on ot other friends Here's a stiff soht away I'll call for it”