The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-01-08

II npceSSilrv, hllU SacTlHce themselves 10
help Count Sandorf, or ready to follow
him If their fight would not hamper
his
"Well all three CO." said Sandorf.
"Wait till we get out before We
separate!'
Eight o'clock then struck from the
clock in the town. The prisoners had
only twelve hours to live.
Night began to close in-a night
which promised to be very dark. Thick,
almost motionless clouds unrolled them
selves cumbrously across the sky. The
atmosphere was heavy. almost unbreath-
able, and saturated with electricity. A
violent storm was coming on. Light
ming had not yet passed between these
masses of vapor, heaped around like so
many accumulators, but distant growl-
ings were heard along the SUBMITS of
the hills that encircle Pisino.
Under such circumstances offered
!here Wis some chance of success, if an
unknown gulf had not CAPPED beneath
the feet Of the fugitives. In dark
night they might not be seen. In q
noisy night they might not be heard.
AS Sandorf had instantly recognized,
fight was only possible through the
window of the cell. To force the door,
to cut into its strong planks of oak, all
bound and ironed, was not to be dreamed
of. Besides, the step of a sentinel
resounded on the flags of the corridor.
And once the door was cleared, how
we're they to fnd their way through the
labyrinth of the fortress How were
they to pass the portcullis and draw
bridges, nt which there were always 80
many men ON guard On the side OF
the Brico there was no sentinel but the
Brico was better defence to the face of
the donjon than Gordon of sentries.
Sandorf then went to the window and
examined it, to see if they could squeeze
through it.
This window was exactly three and a
half feet wide and two feet high. The
gap widened as it ran outwards through
the wall, which hereabouts was nearly
four feet thick. A solid crossbar of iron
guarded it. 1t was fixed in the side
near the interior opening. There were
none of those wooden boards which
allow the light only to enter from above,
for they would have been useless, owing
to the position of the opening. If, then,
the crossbar could be removed or dis
placed it would be easy to get through
the window, which was not unlike an
embrasure in fortress wall.
But once the passage was free, how
were they to make the descent down the
perpendicular side? By ladder? The
prisoners had not one and could not
make one. By the bed-clothes? They
had only the heavy WOODEN counterpanes
thrown on the mattresses which lay on
the iron frames fixed to the wall. It
would have been impossible to have
escaped by the window if Count Sandorf
had not noticed chain, or rather an
iron rope, hanging outside, which might
aid them to escape.
The cable was the lightning conductor
fixed to the crest of the roof above the
side of the donjon, the wall of which
rose straight from til, Brico.
"Do you see that cabe?" said Count
Sandorf to his two friends. "You must
have the courage to use it if you want
to make your escape"
"The courage we have, said Zathmar;
"but have we the strength"
"What does it matter 2" replied Bath
DRY : eff strength fail us we shall die an
hour or two sooner, that is all. -
"There is no need to de, Stephen"
said Sandorf. Listen to me- and you
also, Ladislas do not miss any of my
words If we possessed a rope, we
should not hesitate to hang ourselves
outside the window, so that we might
slip to the ground. Now this cable is
bettet than rope, because its rigidity
will render its descent much easier
Like al lightning conductors, there is
no doubt but that it is fastened to the
wall with staples. These staples will be
fixed points on which our feet may find
rest. There is no swinging to dread,
because the cable is fixed to the wall.
There is no vertigo to fear, because it is
night and you will see moth ng. Then,
once through the window, we have only
to keep our GOODNESS and courage and we
are free. That we risk our lives is pos
sible. But it gives us ten chances to
one whereas if we wait till the morn
ing, and our keepers find us here, it is
hundreds upon hundreds to one that we
have to die!"
"Be it so" replied Zathmar.
"Where does the cable end ?" asked
Bathory.
I'm well probably" answered San
dorf, but certainly outside the donjon,