Leaving Tony for a short time, we must return to Rudolph, whom we left in charge of a self-constituted body of police on his way to the lockup.

When first arrested Rudolph was disposed to be violent and abusive. His disappointment was keen, for he was just congratulating himself on the possession of the miser’s gold. Five minutes later, and he would probably have been able to make good his escape. Mingled with his disappointment was a feeling of intense hostility against Tony for his part in defeating his plans.

I’ll be revenged upon him yet,” he muttered.

They reached the lockup and he was led in. A small oil lamp was lighted and set on the floor.

Where are the handcuffs?” asked one of the captors.

I don’t know. They haven’t been needed for so long that they have been mislaid.”

“They won’t be needed now. The man can’t get out.”

Rudolph’s face betrayed satisfaction.

There’s your bed,” said Moses Hunt, who had Rudolph by the arm, pointing to a rude cot.

Rudolph threw himself upon it.

I’m dead tired,” he said, and closed his eyes.

The door was locked and Rudolph was left alone.

When five minutes had elapsed—time enough for his captors to get away—he got up.

I must get away from this if I can,” thought the tramp, “and before morning. I am glad they didn’t put on handcuffs. Let me see, how shall I manage it?”

He looked about him thoughtfully.

It was a basement room, lighted only by windows three feet wide and a foot high.

I should like to set fire to the building, and burn it up,” thought the tramp. “That would cost them something. But it wouldn’t be safe. Like as not I would be burned up myself, or at any rate be taken again in getting away. No, no! that won’t do. I wonder if I can’t get through one of those windows?”

He stood on the chair, and as the room was low-ceiled he found he could easily reach the windows.

He shook them and found to his joy that it would be a comparatively easy thing to remove one of them.

What fools they are!” he muttered contemptuously. “Did they really expect to keep me here?”

He removed the window, and by great effort succeeded in raising himself so that he might have a chance of drawing himself through the aperture. It did not prove so easy as he expected. He did, however, succeed at length, and drew a long breath of satisfaction as he found himself once more in the possession of his liberty.

I’m a free man once more,” he said. “What next?”

He would have been glad to return to the miser’s house and possess himself of some of his gold, but the faint gray of dawn was already perceptible, and there was too much risk attending it.

Moreover, prudence dictated his putting as great a distance as possible between himself and the village.

The hundred miles intervening between New York and that place he got over in his usual way, begging a meal at one house and a night’s lodging at another. He was never at a loss for a plausible story. At one place, where he was evidently looked ............