Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
CHAPTER LII.
THE ESCAPE.

chapter of observation-disclosures it, he
too turns away, and commences CROP
ing around the room.
But first, with Tomasso's knife in
enc hand, he elevates the other, aiming
20 touch the roof which he can just
do with the tips of his fingers. But to
cut a hole through it he must needs
stand upon something. What is there?
All the trestle-bed. The thing it
self.
Mounting upon this, he commences
his work; and proceeds with his exc
cution, cautiously and in silence, re-
membering Tomasso's injunction. His
hands tremble at the task, and no won
der On its success depends the life of
the man who has set him to it, and,
what concerns him more, the safety
of Lucetta Torreani. Not for moment
does he forget either.
1t takes him long time-longer than
he expected. A sheeting of rough slabs
supports the thatch of sedge-grass, the
two comprising the roof The timber,
hard and tough, requires a good deal
of hewing; but the bandits blade is
good one, and at length an aperture is
made, large enough to permit the pas
sage of mans body. Cutting hole
through the thatch is but the work Of a
few seconds; and in a few more the
prisoner is outside his prison watson
its roof
Following the directions given him,
he makes for the cave at back; and,
letting himself gently down, strikes to-
wards the yew. He has no difficulty in
discovering it. The night is dark, but
the tree darker-an ancient exotic there
planted centuries ago in the corner of
little enclosure-the burying ground
of the Holy Brethren.
Soon he is beneath it, but not to re-
main there more than a moment. For
he finds Tomasso waiting, Giovanni
having re-entered the courtyard to take
his turn at the fire.
Giovanni, left toasting his fingers by
the fire. is charmed with the generos-
ity of his fellow-sentinel, for staying
out in the cold beyond the time speci-
fed between them. The two hours have
long since elapsed, and still he is per-
mitted to indulge in the comfort. He
wonders, too; knowing Tomasso to be
fresh as himself. However, he is in
nowise anxious for an exchange of
situations, but quite the contrary. The
night is chilly as ever, and he will be
only too glad to stick by that cheerful
inyle, till their tour of guard duty
comes to an end.
And he does stay there to its end,
without seeing more of Tomasso. But
not without feeling surprise great as
his gratitude. Why he is so long al
lowed to enjoy the genial warmth he
cannot for the life of him imagine; the
only explanation he can think of being
the little bit of thieves thickness in
the condolences late exchanged be-
tween himself and his brother bandit.
Taking it to be that, and quite salts
fed with it. he stays crouching over
the Goals, till the blue-grey of morn
ing's dawn, stealing softly over the
crater's rim, enters the courtyard of the
convent. Then he knows tbs time for
the relief guard to relieve both him and
Tomasso.
Himself they relieve, but not his fell
low sentinel; who cannot be found,
either on post or anywhere upon his
beat. The round is traversed from
end to end, the ruin searched, but with
out their discovering Tomasso. Nor
does the calling out his name do ought
to assist them--the only response they
get being reverberations of their own
voices given back in echo from the old
walls
For time there is perplexity, and
coon more--a suspicion of treason.
This strengthened as the search pro-
ceeds, at length quite confirmed when,
on entering the cell in which their cap
tive was confined, they see no captive
there Instead some WRITINGS of tim
Der, with thicker pieces showing fresh
" cut, and a bunch or two of short
cropped thatch, strewn over the floor.
Pursuit next; and this immediate
preparations are made. The chiefs
wife is summoned from her slumbers;
and soon appears, savage at being SO
rudely aroused, but still more so when
she learns the reason.
Everybody is up in an instant; ali
alike angry. and down" upon the
traitor, Tomasso. For not one of the
robber band but knows the nature of
the occurrence-all aware, women as
men, that by their captive's escape
they had lost a grand viscatta, which
they have bpen variouS1v ESTIMATING Of