The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-04-10

ever come out alive. He was of coarse
composition by nature, and his natural
coarseness had been still further brut-
allied by long course OF warfare, IN
which there had been at least as much
of heartless rapine and murder as fair
fighting. Rough strength, cunning
and courage had advanced him to the
rank OF knighthood, as serviceable in
strument for the rough work Of the
time; but he had risen without acquir-
ing any of the refinement of chivalry.
He had calculated that companion
ship would add to the misery of his
victims, and he gloated over the despair
that they would feel as they saw one
another dying by inches, and could no
longer keep the rats at bay. 1t was
truly tiendish conception.
Ralph was right in his conjecture
that they would not be left urdis-
turbed, and that the spectacle of their
misery would be too tempting to be
foregone.
But his hope that Rainham and his
men would come down to the door of
the dungeon and expose themselves to
his advantage was not gratified at once.
Towards nightfall, when the patch of
light that was the sign of day in the
outer world was almost indistinguish-
able, the prisoners heard noise in the
roof above them, and looking up saw
that small trap door had been lifted
in the top Of the vault.
Presently Sir Richards face APP
peared, peering down. He was visible
to them, but they in the darkness be-
meath were invisible to him. He seemed
disappointed, as if baked of an ex
pected pleasure and called for lights.
Meantime he amused himself with
jeering at his prisoners.
"Ho! How goes it, my birds? Bill
ing and cooling? Speak, or will leave
you to bill and coo on empty stomachs.
Is it not kind of me to leave you in the
dark? The kindest pander could not
be more obliging."
fouler and fouler in his language as no
answer was returned. Ralph burned
with wrath that his lady's ears should
be subjected to such indignity, but he
judged that if their tormentor neither
saw nor heard them he might be
tempted to come down to the door, and
thus offer the ardently desired oppor-
tunity. He whispered this strategem
to Clara, and they bore the knights in
suits with patient silence.
BY and by lamp was brought and
lowered by rope.
Ralph waited till it had nearly
touched the ground; then, keeping his
hands behind him SO that he should
still appear to be bound, extinguished
the lamp with a kick, and, Selling the
rope, dragged it down with jerk out
of the holders hands.
A volley of curses came from the
night above.
They could hear various plans sug-
gested for illuminating the dungeon.
Nicholas suggested that blazing fagot
of tow and pitch should be thrown
down. This plan was approved of, and
at once carried into execution.
Ralph and Clara withdrew to the
corner of the dungeon next the door
"They will not be able to see much
through the smoke" he said to her by
way of comfort. She was delighted
with their triumph so far.
The plan failed ingnominiously.
Such volume of smoke came through
the trap as the knight put down his
head to look, that he drew back at once,
sneezing and coughing and rubbing his
eyes. In his rage he seized the author
of the continuance and held his head
over the opening till he vas half suffo-
Gated. Ralph extinguished the fagot
at his leisure.
The knight. continued to swear for
some time, but, no other plan suggest
ing itself, they adjourned to supper.
Before they closed the trap he shouted
down, "Good-by, dicky birds. We will
visit you anon"
Nothing could give us more pleas
ure," muttered Ralph, in an undertone,
and proceeded to rehearse in his mind
his plans for taking advantage of the
visit.
More than two hours passed before
there was any sign that Sir Richard
meant to fulfil his promise. At the
end of that time mufiied sounds of foot
steps and coarse laughter were heard
on the dungeon stairs. The visitors,
from the noise they made, seemed to be
in high spirits, and had not been
abstemious at supper.
$50 much the BETTER" thought
Ralph, as he drew this inference. He
stationed Clara at the farther end of
the dungeon, and took his stand in
readiness by the door. He had two
ropes now, and he had provided each
NTH