Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-01-08
but the wind was ts,r;s,c r,osh 90

CLEANED with pallid brilliancy as the
electricity streamed off liz a long spear
point OF flame, and the cable shook and
swung with the furious flashing of the
storm.
The risk that was run i'll hanging on
to tins conductor, through which the
electricity wus travelling, 10 lose itself
IN the waters o. the lIrico. was terrible.
Had the app lratns been in perfect con-
dltion there would hav" beenno danger
of "A stroke, for the extreme conduct
billty of the metal compared TO that of
the human body, which is very much
less, would have preserved the daring
man who was suspended from it, But if
the point of The conductor was blunted
or there Were any solution of continuity
III the cable on arupturc occurred at.any
spot below a stroke was quite possible
due TO the meeting of the positive and
the negative and this without light
nlng fash owing to the tension of the
accumulation IN the defective apparatus.
Count Saudof was fully aware of the
danger To which he was exposed A
sentiment more powerful than that of
the instinct of preservation made him
brave 1t. He slipped down slowly,
cautiously through the electric elnana-
tions which cnveloped him as in mist.
His foot ought each staple down the
wall. and for an instant he paused, and
as Il binding fash illumined the abyss
beneath him he tried, but in vain, to
discover its depth.
When Matthias had descended about
sixty feet from the window lac found a
firm resting place. Ii was sort of
ledge few inches wide which marked
the beginning OF the base of the wall.
The lightning conductor did not end
here; invent down lower, and-unknown
TO the fugitive from this point down
ward il Wa, uniastened and hoated free,
sometimes skirting the rocky wall,
sometimes swinging i'll mid-air, some
times Scraping against the rocks that
overhung the abyss.
Count Sandorf stopped to recover his
breath HIS feet rested ON the ledge.
has hands graspcd the iron cable He
saw that he had reached the first course
OF the masonry of the donjon But how
far he was above the valley he could not
estimate.
That must be very deep" he
thought
In fact few large birds. dazed with
the binding brilliancy of the lightning,
were flying round him with heavily
Tapping wings, and instead of rising
sank out of sight beneath his feet. Hence
he must be on the brink of precipice
which fell away, deep down below him
A. the birds disappeared he heard
morse above and by the light of vivid
flash De saw II confused mass detach
itself from the wall.
1t was Stephen Bathory escaping from
the window. He had grasped the con-
ductor and was slowly slipping down TO
join Count Sandorf. Matthias waited
for him, his feet firmly planted Oh the
narrow ledge. There Stephen could
wait while he continued to descend
In few minutes both were standing
on the narrow stone work.
A. soon rs the thunder ceased fer
OIL instant they could speak and hear
each other.
An Ladislas Z" asked Sandorf
He will be here III a minute"
Nothing wrong aloft -
Nothing.
" Good | will make room for Ladis-
las, and you, Stephen, wait till he reaches
you.
Agreed
a tremendous fash seemed TO envel-
ope them in flame 1t seemed as though
the electricity coursing the cable had
penetrated their nerves. They thought
they had been struck
Matthias Matthias ;" exclaimed
Baihory, under ali impression of terror
that he could not master
BE cool l am going down You
will follow e. was Sandorfs reply.
And already ne mad seized the cable
with the intention of slipping To the
first staple below, where he intended to
wait for his companions.
Suddenly there were shouts from
above. They seemed to come from the
window of the cell. Then these words
rang ont
Save yourselves e.
1t was Zathmar's voice
Immediately a bright light shot from
the wall, followed by sharp report
This time it was not the cable broken by
lightning dash which lit up the gloom;
II was not the roar Of the thunder which
rosounded in the air \ gun had been
fired a chance shot probably from one
of the embrasures of the donjon. 1t was
just as much a signal to the guard rs if
ballet had been aimed at the fugitlves
The escape had been discovered.
The sentry had heard some noise He
had called five or six of the warders and
entered the cell The absence of two
Of the prisoners had been Immediately
discovered. the state Of the window
showed how they had escaped And
Zathmar rushing to the window had
given the alarm.
Poor fellow r. exclaimed Bathory.
ITO desert him Matthias To desert
him |"
a second time there came the discharge
Of gun. The report mingled with the
roll of thunder.
Heaven have pity on him said
Sandorf. But we must escape-we
must avcnge him Come Stephen.
rome r.
II was time. Other windows in the
lower story of the donion we're being
opened. New discharges lighted them
up Shouts We're heard. Perhaps the
wardcrs could run round the base of the
wall aud Gu, of the retreat of the fugi-