Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-27
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81 said that we might start getting
ready to move ketchward, repeated
Dolly. "But, of course, if you haven t
finished admiring old Nicl1's sane
tum -
do you actually mean to say you We
found a way out?' he interrupted
"Of course | have" the girl answer
ed gayly. Didn't | say wouldn't stay
much longer? Didn | tell You | was
getting abominahly hungry Now look
here, A rope made of those ancient
b,dclothcs, Il weight at the end to
throw over that projecting ladder; a
bit OF climb, and there You are No,
Alan, don't! Mr. Guthrie. remember
our contract There, you've runpled
up all my hair!'
"Nou re the clcverest girl in all crea-
ton, DollyN cried the Young man en-
Enthusiastically
cam | really?" asked Dolly with a
demure courtesy. "Well Wen take
that for settled Aud now. in the lam
guagc Of the doctor, Dry mp, and get
to work
Age had rendered Nicholas the First $
bcdclothcs uncommonly brittle, and the
manufacture Of rope was work of
time. The sheets were found to serve
the purpose best, for they were Of linen,
doubtless the loot of some luxurious
hidalgo. They tore easily into narrow
strips, and these the two prisoners
plated ana then plated AGAIN into a
nine strand cord But when this was
done the rope was still too short. So
they had to make ont the rest with
blankets, and these were by no means
SO satisfactory
At last a sufficient length was com
| pletod, and the rupenakers tested it
fathom by fathom by taking hitch
round a post Of the heavy mahogany
bcdstcad and pulling at the longth to
be tried with all their combined
strength. 1t stretched, but it did not
break. Guthrie thought that it would
bear the strain Of his weight So, bend
ing the old brass bound pistol butt at
one end, he passed the coil mp through
the hatch and went after it
However, they were by no means ont
of the wood yet, for to shy the missile
with its dangling burden of rope over
the projecting rungs of the ladder was
no easy task. Again and again it missed
and came gathering down about the
young mans ears And what with the
heat and the dust he was somewhat out
of breath and just about tired of the
exercise before the broken pistol butt
deigned to effect Judgment on one of
the projecting ladder rungs
Then good deal of mancuvoring
was necessary before it could be per.
suaded to slip down on the other side
Bnt by cautiously "snaking" the blight
which be had in his hand he coaxed it
down little by little, till with a vigor-
Gus jump he reached it with his fingers
and brought both ends Of the rope to-
gether
He waited inmate 70 recover his
breath and then reported progress to
Dolly, who had remained below
IN come and see you climb, " said
she, and Guthrie helped her through
the hatch
"Will it bear!' she asked, looking
upward at the clumsy cord On which SC
| much depended.
Il haven't tried yet, " was the reply.
"But here goes!" And, gripping the
rope as far up as he could reach, Guthrie
cautiously drew his weight on to it
Dolly watched breathIeesly and then
gave little gasp of dismay
For when the young mans toes were
nearly off the ground, and there were
only few more pounds of his weight
unsupported, the ladder moved. Its in
ner end was being tilted mp
Guthrie let go Of the rope and leaned
back against the rocky side Of the well
with grOan
1T was good idea, Dolly" said he
quietly, after little, "but my beastly