LIBERTY OR DEATH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1223, 7 August 1885, Page 3

LIBERTY OR DEATH.

In my walks to and from the hospital I was invariably accompanied by two soldiers with fixed bayonets, loaded rifles,and in full marching order. They had strict orders to fire on any prisoner who attempted to escape. 1 might be shot before I reached the gateway ; and even if I got outside ! could not hope to get clear away. ' 1 should eithei be shot, or overtaken by some of the gendarmes and soldiers who were always strolling in the neighbourhood of the prison. But it was just conceivable that if, after passing out of the gateway, I could jump on a horse or into a carriage, I might bid defiance to my pursuers and make good my escape. 1 communicated this idea to my political friends. 'They promised me their hear tiest help, and we agreed upon a plan. They knew at what hour I generally crossed the courtyard, and it was arranged that on-iceiUui days (not every tlay. for tear of rousing suspicion) that they should have a carriage waiting outside, and the playing of a violin should be the signal that the coast was clear and every: luug in readiness for my contemplated flight. I had still a full week before me, and I turned the interval to account by walking always as rapidly across the court as possible partly to get mysdf into training for my ruo, partly to accustom my escort to tuo idea of my being several yards in advance of them. Tue escort did not, of course, always consist of the same men ; but as I was seen fat one time or an ther by all the soldiers of the garrison, none s iw any tiling strange in my going on ahead, or had the least suspicion that 1 was pro paring to give them the slip. Intense expectation made my senses almost preternaturally acute; and one morning as I quitted the hospital I felt rather than heard, that the signal was being given. When anticipation became certainty, and I knew that the moment on which depended my liberty and perhaps my life was at hand, my heart heat so violently that I thought I should have fallen to the ground, and a mist that obscured everything filled my eyes. A minute afterwards 1 was as cool as 1 am now, and, drawing a deep I reath, I went as mual ahead of my escort, but rather more rapidly' than usual. When I came in sight of the gate I saw that it stood wide open. It had been opened to admit a cart laden with hay. ‘lf I could only put that cart between myself and the soldiers.’ First casting a glance over my shoulder to see how near they were, I increased my walk, to a trot. One of the men called out to me to moderate my pace On this I turned my face towards the gate, and muttering to myself * Line ty or death,’ I ran with all my speed. Fortune favored me. The soldiers, either for lack of presence of mind or from reluctance to shoot down an unarmed man, held their lire, and. with their bayonets at the charge, gave chase. Long confinement and illness had made me weak, and had 1 bad far to go my puisuers might have overtaken mo. But 1 ran one side of the hay cart, while they, hoping to intercept ms, ran round the other. This manoeuvre gained rao a few yards, and before they could come up I had passed out of the gateway and jumped into the carriage winch was waning hard by. Quick as thought a military cloak avaa thrown over my shoulders, a shako put upon my head, and the next moment 1 was on my way, as fast as two fleet horses could take ms, towards a place of safety.”—From “ Red Ryningtou,” by William Westall.