Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-09-01

face showed me that he could make
nothing Of this declaration, and after a
pause Of perhaps minute, during
| which Menzies looked coolly round
him, short order was given, and In
an instant we were seized, as before.
ind dragged from the place. In two
Or three minutes we found ourselves
once more in the singular prison from
which we had been taken. Our guards
had treated us even more roughly on
our way back, and before leaving us
tliey tied orr hands behind us and our
feet ut the ankles with cords and
twisted fibcr Then with peal Of half
drunken laughter they turned away
trd left us in the darkness.
The ha-s!. voices and laughter died
.lowly AWAY in tho distance. and for
some minutes neither Of us appeared
disposc., TO break tho silence. a feel
ing Of cold. helpless despair Of life had
crcpt over re. u!l yet was conscious
of Il strange curiosity as to how our
position affected my singular compan'
ion. At last the silence and darkness
grew so oppressive that l felt as II
must say something to make sure that
I was not alone.
"AIenzies:' whispered. "Menzies!'
"Weel, captain?" His voice came
back to me, cool and self possessed as
ever-almost, as 1t seemed to me, with
touch Of humor In 1t.
81 was right after all, you see. Wed
have been In luck II we had been
blown up"
Speak for yourself, captain. Am
no that fond O. gunpooder."
"It's n good deal easier than burn
Ing, l fancy" l said, with something
like groan.
"Ah wudna wonder, captain, but Ah
hae nae mind tae try. Am thinkin
It's aDool uns 70 ue yeum oot tuis.
ALI Gamma say All like the smell o't."
No doubt If there had been any light
I should have stared In my surprise
AS 1t was, only said: Good heavens,
Menzies! What do you mean"
"Haud OH till get alangside an get
ma teeth Until yon lashin' round yer
haun's."
| felt him roll over and over in the
sand, and then, after pause, sharp
tooth touched my wrist from behind.
Not a word was said, but l felt his
teeth gnaw and tear with dogged en-
ergy ut the fibers that seemed almost
to cut into my wrists. The process
was slow one, but at last he stopped
MOO" he whispered, Am thinkin'
ye can help yerser, gin We but gle yer
Laun's jerk"
A single effort proved that he was
right, and my hands were at liberty.
MOO" he whispered again, yell
maybe dae as much for me, though
Am no sayin' but what teeth's better
than fingers for wark like this efter
a."
MenZies was right. At least, l found
lit slow and difficult job to unloose
the cord that bound him with my be-
lnumbed fingers. managed 1t at last,
however, and his hands were also free.
Then we set to work to free our an
lkles, and after delay which seemed
lendless to my impntience we succeeded
land stiffiy regained our feet. 1t seemed
Ito me that hours had passed, and l
scarcely waited to restore the circula-
ton to my legs before / whispered
anXiOusly:
"Whats to be done next, Menzies!
lets get at 1t at once or 1t III be day
light"
"Weel." he said deliberately, "Ah
dinna think we'll gang faur wrang
ltae get oot O. this, tae begin WI. Am
fair sick O. the smell OF"
You don't suppose they've left It
|unguarded" I asked.
"A'm no sayin' that ategither, but
we'n list fin oot," he whispered, with
characteristic caution. Feel for the
wa, an then jist creep alans ahint
lme. Am thinkin' we'll come tae
Sometnln a1Ore lanS.
l felt rather than saw him pass me
lin the darkness, and l followed as
NEARLY as could in the same direction.
1.-TWO or three steps, and my out
lstretched hand touched the rough wall.
II stretched out the other and touched
my companion.
"A' richt, sir" came back to me IN
the darkness.
We moved onward silently, step by
step, straining our eyes in the hope OF
seeing something to guide US. AT last
III thought it was growing a little
lighter. There was gray look IN
the darkness. l thought could make
out the darker shadow Of my COM
panion before me.
I'VE must be near the place they
brought us In at, Menzies," l whis'
pered at last.
He paused.
"Whecshtw he replied after a mo.
ment. Am thinkin' All hear some
thin comm"
moved hastily, and my outstretched
hand came in contact with something
which seemed to project from the wall.
1t gave way and fell to the sand. Soft
as 1t was, It made a hollow sound
not loud indeed, but loud enough In
the silence to make my heart stand
still. We stood and listened anxiously
Yes, 1 could hear 1t nova footstep
It was heavy, and 1t was coming to,
ward us. Menzies turned and, grasp
ling me by the arm with grip like
iron, whispered almost in my ear the
words: "Dinna ye move. Staun' close
tae the wa an let him gang BY"
did as was told. .
The heavy footstep came nearer
Then voice muttered, "Madre Dc
Diosw close at hand. A gray figure
that looked gigantic in the shadow
seemed to grow out Of the darkness
close In front Of me. 1t stopped and
seemed to listen. Then II mutterec
something that sounded like curse al
the darkness, and then 1t moved on
ward again. The figure had passed
me. felt that shrank back. / was
sure could have touched 1t as 1t went
by. Something in the hand OF the
figure gave a faint gleam OF light.
knew that 1t was carrying a naked
dagger.
The shadow melted away In thu
darkness, and next moment another
shadow followed II. There was .dul
sound Of a heavy blow, Of mutteret
exclamation, of a soft yet heavy fal