Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

20 the prospect of a 'lifer' is onougli to nuikc a chap surly, though he hasn't been in long enough to realise what a ' lifer ' really means." "That's as may be. Anyhow, just to prove to vou that appearances are de- ceptive, we've just liad warning that Mike is going to attempt to escajx;! We have been warned also that if he does manage to get away—and I'd like to sec him try it!—he proposes to have my life ! "Not the first man, by any means, to threaten the warden of the State prison, and, I imagine, not by any means the last. What earthly chance does a man stand these days, not only of breaking prison, but of keeping out of reach ot the wireless descriptions of hmi? Still, Council, we'll keep our eye upon his associates and the nieni- bers of thi? O'Rourko family. Tlicrc'.s never smoke without fire, and our in- formant is usually correct—uncannily so." The convicts were assigned to their various duties in the drab, high-walled yard of the State prison. Wardci's armed with loaded rifles patrolled the place from various points of vantage; not a single move of the prisoners passed unnoticed And yet, in spite of the eagle eyes that watched them, two members of the working-gang man- aged somehow to snatch a hurried and breathless conversation. "Say. Kinky," said Mike O'Rourke, out of the corner of his mouth, "what time is it?" The man addressed as Kinkj- curled his cruel lips in disgu.st. "Time?" he repeated. "What's botherin' you, O'Rourke? Yoii should be worrying about the time, when for the rest of your life you'll be raking this yard !" "Don't believe it !" muttered O'Rourke. ''/'// not he raking this yard all my life! Tell me. Kinky," he begged, "what d'you reckon the time to be?" Kinky muttered a curse. BOY'S CINEMA "Look out, INIike, they're watching us ! It struck eleven about a quarter of an liour ago." "Fine!" was all the convict said. And all the time that quiet prison yard was a seething volcano, a place of carefully restrained passions, of feelings that ached to be unleashed. Hopelessly the men looked up from their tasks, glimpsing the sky that roofed those prison walls—freedom so near at hand, freedom impossible to attain. The guards were patrolling the prison vail, every man on the alert, every rifle ready for instant service, every prisoner a marked man. Hopeless to even dream of escaping from this living tomb. Foolish to ever plan to run the gauntlet of those sharp eyes, those fatal bullets; to scale that murderously loft.y wall—cruel, uncliinbable as the side of a precipice. And so O'Rourko went on sullenly with his job, apparently re- signed to his fate, but with a glint in his eye that .seemed to betoken mischief. Suddenly from the distance came a niusica! humming, as of a giant bee questing for some mighty flower. Nearer and nearer came that insistent dioning, and then, a mere speck in the sky that might iiave been a bird gradually revealed itself as a sturdy, swift-moving aeroplane. Nearer still it came, ever nearer, and its antics were both surp-ising and alarming. It nose- dived, then righted itself, spiralled, en- veloped itself in a smoke cloud, per- formed evolutions that brought forth the loud-voiced admiration of those well-armed warders. A welcome diversion in the pri.son routine. They speculated whither the 'plane could be bound, the reason for its evolutions, commented upon the nerve of 'he pilot, playfully suggested what an ideal method it might prove to be to make a clear getaway from gaol ! Uninfluenced by the commotion, a couple of labourers, in the uniform of raihvaymen, were patrolling the railway In spite of the eagle eyes that watched them, two members of the working gang managed to snatch a hurried and breath- less conversation. Kovember 2l8t, 1931. Every Tuesday track. The aeroplane and its stunts had lio seeming interest for them, for they walked with, hurried step along the iron road that lay beyond the prison walls, evidently bent upon their routine duties. Here were the warders, sky- gazing still, watching with unwonted in- terest the spirallings of that hardy air- man. Ana while the warders watched, ill the flick of an eyelid the "railway- men " had thrown a rope over the high prison wall—^a long rope, a strong rope, of which they held the ends,' and held them firmly ! His guardians still 'plane-gazing, Mick O'Rourke seized that heaven-sent rope, clambered with the agility of a monkey up the terribly high wall, ran along the top of it with all the speed at his command, and, just as his escape was discovered, diopped on to the roof of a ))assing train. Shot after shot rang out, all very wide of the mark. The convicts in the prison yarJ -raised a feeble cheer as the redoubtable O'Rourke disappeared from view. Stern orders from above curbed their enthusiasm, but many a convict's heart beat franticall.v at the sheer audacity of that exploit. The alarm was sounded, the train fped on, carry- ing on its roof, in a position of gravest peril, a man who, above all men, the prison had desired to keep in closest custody. O'Rourko clung to the sloping roof, swayed to and fro by the violent motions of the train, grabbing a pre- cious hand-hold upon the centre-ridge, the aperture through which the carriage lamps were lighted Now it seemed as if ho must be dashed to the permanent way as the train swerved round a wicked curve. Now, almost suffocated by the poisonous fumes that filled a terribly lengthy tunnel. Sparks and dust flew in his face, and there were moments when Mike O'Rourke. now a fugitive from ju.^tice, longed once more for the safety of the prison yard. But ho had made his choice—would see it through to the bitter end, come what might! "That telephone mes- sage had evidently been inspired. The train—an express, as it so happened—flew on, and it might have] been observed thatj the mysterious aero-l plane, q u e e r 1 y I enough, was keepings pace with i t't Stranger still, thel pilot could now beT seen paying out a| long rope-ladder care- fully, ,',ing3rly, whilst hovering above the speeding train. A breathless s.jcoud. an awful momci t of in- decision, then, with a bound, O'Rourke liad caught the yielding rung of the ladder, dangled perilously in mid-air, till stronsj and willing hands hauled him into tlio rescuing 'plane. Higher still it soared into the clouds, until it became a mere speck, its destination a matter of infinite speculation. The impossible had happened! Mike O'Rourke had made his getaway, aided by means tlfat only iM