Now, from the moment that he had been sentenced Billy
Byrne's mind had been centered upon one thought--escape.
He knew that there probably would be not the slightest
chance for escape; but nevertheless the idea was always
uppermost in his thoughts.
His whole being revolted, not alone against the injustice
which had sent him into life imprisonment, but at the thought
of the long years of awful monotony which lay ahead of him.
He could not endure them. He would not! The deputy
sheriff rose, and motioning his prisoner ahead of him,
started for the smoker. It was two cars ahead. The train was
vestibuled. The first platform they crossed was tightly enclosed;
but at the second Billy saw that a careless porter had left
one of the doors open. The train was slowing down for some
reason--it was going, perhaps, twenty miles an hour.
Billy was the first upon the platform. He was the first to see
the open door. It meant one of two things--a chance to
escape, or, death. Even the latter was to be preferred to life
imprisonment.
Billy did not hesitate an instant. Even before the deputy
sheriff realized that the door was open, his prisoner had
leaped from the moving train dragging his guard after him.
CHAPTER II
THE ESCAPE
BYRNE had no time to pick any particular spot to jump
for.
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