Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-11-08

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idea, I'VE will drop the boats out of the
window, II they are in any servccablo
condition; that Is on the side OF the sea.
and l do not believe we shall be observed
In the darkness, unless the Baron Massimo
has thought to patrol the Coast, which
do not believe to be the else For who
would think OF Us descending from that
Window"
But the sea Is dangerous with such boats
as are likely to be here" interrupted REM
for the first time
Have Imagination. Sgnor Reni.' I cried.
We Will not put out to sea. We will row
to lara"
ITO Zara2"
I'VE will appear before Colonel Fcrgu-
son. who Will be astCnished enough think
ing that the troops sent out for our capture
have us. We will say that we are the van
Of another force"
But IL he refuses"
we will not permit 1t. We will per.
suade him by our effrontery. We will take
| the prince prisoner instead OF his troops
taking us. We can dictate terms And
| have seen enough OF Dalmatan nckle-
ness to know there viii be many desertions
TO our banner"
But the Russian and English repre-
sentatives?'
81 will engage to play them against each
other, so they will not interfere"
ITS dangerous plan Signor REM be-
gan.
ITS our only one" | sud 1--WE can
run, but the chances are we shall be taken. "
1T is the only way" said the princess.
"Ah, Colonel Gerald, | owe you much"
But first we must see that the boats
will answer. II they fail, we shall be
forced to build raft to carry us to shore,
and then"
TRY the boats" said the princess. 1--WE
will not fail before we know"
I'm the meantime" Balbi Interrupted,
"a brave show must be kept of the ram
parts being Manned
"They do not believe we can get away
unless we should hy."
And they may be right but we can
try | said, doubtfully enough.
"Ah, we will" cried the princess, clap
ping her hands like the girl she was, and
yet, few moments before in Baron Mas
simo's presence she had been the sef-con-
tanned woman.
The boats were examined carefully. Two
appeared to be seaworthy. The other we eX-
pcrimcnted with and thought 1t might stand
Then we examined the window, broad open
ing intended for a gun carriage, saw; now
guarded by frame of iron bars. The frame
swung open, permitting me to look down into
the sea and out into the blackncss, for fur
tunatcly as | have said. the night was very
dark from the clouds, there being no moon.
Ropes were found, and Balbfs man, Jacopo,
a brave Tuscan, volunteered to make the first
risk.
Cautiously. for after all the enemy might
have patrols, we lowered the boat with the
man and oars making | thought, an intoler-
able noise. The Princess stood at my elbow,
an interested witness of the proceeding. The
time seemed long Six had been left with
Ralhi outside on the ramparts. and six little,
why fellows-with the strength those little
1uscans sometimes have-werc at the task ]
superintendent Presently We heard splash
and JaCopo's cry. | directed two OF the men
who said they had followed the sea at one
m m ~ th,, tn let
to get the boat already lowered out of the
way Of the one to follow. All this. you may
believe was done with constant fear of in
corruption. When Jacopos cry came again
and we had pulled UP the ropes knowing all
was well below. REM called in three more
from the ramparts, leaving there three with
Balbi. Putting one i'm the next boat we low
cred this with an equal success. Then dis
covered that the third and worst boat had no
oars. But finally | agreed with REM who
here volunteered the opinion that the two
boats would carry our party Of seventeen, in
Guiding the Princess and her woman. Six
men were already below manning the boats
which were launched so easily as the foun-
dgtions Of the tower of Bergamo are laid well
below the line of low tide. which at first had
been a question. Now was the question of
lowering the women.
Il will wait for you, Colonel Gerald" tn.
princess said. 81 should not dare trus
myself to any one else
While this remark battered me, particu
larly with the expression accompanying |.
out of those dark eyes, it did not make the
difficulty Of getting the princess and her
woman to the boat below.
Finally one OF the men suggested tying
the woman to him, binding her to the rop'
by a slipnoose. The woman shvered. But
when the princess assured her that she.
too. was to follow in the same manner she
was treasured.
First we were forced to call in two more
men from outside, leaving but Balbi and
one man to keep up the appearance. Balbi
cautioned mo not to forget the arms, which
we let down before the man and the prin-
cess maid The woman crossed herself again
and again. but her mistress eyes encouraged
her
1t had come to the princess turn. 1t being
necessary to keep a sufficient number Of
the men above to lower her safely.
II will go down that rope with no ono
but you. Signor Gerald" she declared posi-
lively.
| had intended being the last from the
tower for now. having taken the affair SO
entirely in hand, I counted It in some sense
my own, and yet felt that she was more
precious than all the rest, nor was | willing
TO commit her to another
As have said, she was in a riding habit
We having expected to leave BergamO or
the false intelligence we had had and II
proved the best g.wn for the purpose. The
S!pnOCSt ABOUT ~ rope was lieu dDOut Hti
waist. and then-but | paused. / could
not see her face in the darkness, in which
we had worked thus far. Yet | felt sud
denly strangely happy, as | felt her close tc
me, my arms about her, as we ventured into
that mysterious ABYSS. Down we went.
could feel her heart against mine, and
/ knew suddenly why | was in Dalmatia
and that no other woman in all the world
would ever mean anything to me-
Then Jacopo's voice called and we were
in the swayng boat. My heart beat until
| could hear it, | thought. For what, II
after all this risk we now should fail?
you who have been so brave, be brave
now" she whispered low to me- her hand
on my shoulder reading my fear.
II seemed an age before the first of those
left followed; then, the others. and last of
AL Balbi-thc brave Balbi. And then our
fears increasing the sound of the oar beats,
we began to row along the coast to the
sOuth-to Zara-to the equally dangerous
risk; while this other, indeed, not over,
Ito be cOntinued)
WHEN DAD HAD TOOTHACHE.