Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-01
CHAPTER x
DOWN TIE BRICO.

Count Sandorf resumed his task at
the window. Three out of the four
sockets we're already scraped away
sufficiently TO allow the ends of the
crossbar 10 be moved out of them. The
fourth WIS then attacked by the light of
the dazzling flashes which constantly
ilumined the sky.
At half-past ten o'clock the work was
done. The crossbar was clear of the
walls, and could be slipped out Of the
embrasure. 1t only had to be pushed
forward and dropped on the outside OF
the wall. And this was done as soon as
Zathmar heard that the sentry had
reached the far end Of the corridor.
The crossbar was moved along the en-
brasure II fell over and vanished.
At the moment there was a lull in the
storm. Sandorf listened to hear when
the heavy frame struck the ground. He
heard not a sound
1.-THE donion is built on n high rock
which rises from the valley" remarked
Bathory.
1.-The height does not matter I" an
swered Sandorf. There can be no
doubt that the lightning conductor
reaches the ground, because that is
necessary for it to be of any use. And
80 We shall reach the ground withoutthe
risk of fall"
The reasoning was right. as n rule, but
1t was wrong in this instance, for tho
end OF the conductor was plunged in
the waters Of the Foiha.
The window being clear, the moment
for escape had come.
my friends" said Sandorf, " this ia
what we had better DO, am the young
est and / think the rongest. 1t is
my place, therefore TO be the tirstto 90
down this iron rope. In case of some
obstacle, which is impossible for us to
foresee, preventing my reach ng the
ground, | may have strength enough to
climb back to the window Two min
utes after l have gone, Stephen, you
get out of the window and follow me.
Two minutes after him. Lndislas, you
come the same way. When we three
have reached the foot of the donion wo
will act according to circumstances.
1--WE will obey you, Matthias" an
swered Bathory. We will do what
you tell us 10 do; we will go where you
tell Us 10 go. But we 10 not like your
taking the greatest share of the danger
on yourself"
"Our lives are not worth rs much as
yours, added Zathmar.
"They are worth quite as much in tho
face of an act of justice which has to be
DONE" answered Count Slndorf. "And
if one of us alone survives he will DO
the one to perform that act Snake
hands my friends"
And then while Zathmar went to
watch mt the door of the cell, Sandorf
climbed into the embrasure. A mo-
ment afterwards he was hanging
in the air. Then while his knees
gripped the iron rope, he slid down,
hand under hand, feeling with his feet
for the staples on which TO rest.
The storm burst forth again with ex-
traordinary violence. IL did not rain.
but the wind was terrific. Flash over
Tapped flash. The zigzags crossed and
crossed above the donjon, attracted by
its isolated position and its towering
height. The point of the lightning rod
cleaned with pallid brilliancy as the
electricity streamed off in "a long spear
point of flame, and the cable shook aud
swung with the furious lashiug of the
storm.
The risk that was run in hanging on
to this conductor, through which the
electricity was travelling. to lose itself
in the waters of the Brico, WIS terrible.
Had the app iratus been in perfect con-
dition there would have been no danger
of n stroke, for the extreme conduct
bility ofth metal compared to that OF
the human body. which is very much
less. would have preserved the daring
man who was suspended from il. But il
the point Of The conductor was blunte1
or there were any solution of continuity
in the cable or arupture occurred ut any
spot below n stroke was quite possible
due to the meeting Of the positive and
the negative; and this without q light
ming flash, owing to tho tension of the
accumulation in the defective apparatus.
Count Sandorf was fully aware of the
danger 10 which he was exposed A
sentiment more powerful than that of
the instinct Of preservation made him
brave it. He slipped down slowly.
cautiously through tue electric emana-
tons which enveloped him as in a mist
His foot sought each staple down the
wall, and for an instant he paused, and
as a binding fash illumined the abyss
beneath him be tried. but IN vain, to
discover its depth.
When Matthias had descended about
Exty feet from the window he found a
firm resting place 1t WAS n 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 iugitive-from this point down.
ward il was unfastened and foated free.
sometimes skirting the rocky wall.
sometimes swinging in 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.
his hands graspsd the iron cable. He
saw that he had reached the first course
of the masonry Of tho 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
As the birds disappeared he heard a
noise above and by the light Of vivid
fash he saw a confused mass detach
itself from the wall
1t was SteDhsn BathOry esOaninG from