ur fastest," Belle said through her white,
compressed lips; and the kindly cabman, sensing something out of common,
'Said, "I'll do my best, miss."

In ten minutes, they were in the side street. The bear was gone, the
crowd was gone. The police entered without knocking, went to the second
floor, to the very door and then knocked. There was no answer. The
Captain put his shoulder to the door and forced it in. There, sure
enough, standing in an attitude of fear in a far corner was the thin
woman of the gray cloak.

"Where is Judge Squeaks? He was seen in this room half an hour ago."

"I don't know what you mean," and she covered her face with her skinny
hands and began to cry.

"You must come to the station at once," said the Captain. Then to Belle:
"Will you testify that this is the woman?"

Belle was white and trembling, but she walked up and said: "I will
testify that this is--" She reached forward, peering at the woman's
hidden face. Then seizing the loose hair, Belle gave one jerk, the wig
came off, and they were facing Judge Squeaks!

"My God!" was all the Captain had to say. "The telephone as quick as
possible! You hold him." He dashed down the stairs and made for the
nearest long distance wire. It was half an hour before they could
connect with Springfield, only to learn that the Governor had left for
Chicago and was expected to arrive there about noon.

CHAPTER LVIII

In the Death House

Shay sat calmly waiting as the big clock ticked his life away that
morning in the house of death at Joliet. At eleven o'clock, Hartigan
received Belle's telegram: "We have found Squeaks." He rushed to the
Sheriff with it. That officer was very sorry, but "no one except the
Governor had any right to order a stay."

"Why, sir," said Jim, "you are not going to hang an innocent man, when
here is proof of his innocence."

"There is no proof in that telegram. I don't know who "Belle" is. I get
my orders from the Courts. No one but the Governor can order a
reprieve."

Jim sent a telegram to Springfield only to learn, as Belle had done,
that the Governor had left for Chicago. He sent telegrams to every one
who had the power to help. He telegraphed Belle; he rushed to the
Sheriff to beg for God's sake but one hour's reprieve. He hurried to the
penitentiary to find another telegram from Belle:

Pray without ceasing for an hour's delay. We have Squeaks now.

But the clock ticked on. He literally ran to Michael