The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-09-01

night having q trying effect on my
nerves. But as the hours wore on,
the fct that l had slept little began
to tell on me, and I grew drowsy.
Sitting on my hard chair gave my
self up to my bitter reflections, and
finally my head dropped, and, over
come by the drowsiness which was
increased by the silence of my cell,
I fell asleep, and my waking medita-
tions became merged in dream, in
which I renewed acquaintance with
Major Simmons and Dilkins, and saw
their faces. and the face Of Edith
Broughton, and the faces Of other
friends peering at me, some in pity,
some in alarm, some with love.
And most strongly outlined among
them all was the calm, stern face of
my dead hero, Maubikeck. There was
an inspiration in that face as, half
sleeping, l saw it looking down at
me. 1t bade me rouse myself. 1t
shone like beacon before me. lead.
ing me to resolution that I would
never have reached but for this fam
tastic appearance. 1t brought to my
mind the heroism of Maubikeck, by
whose death l was given life. The
manliness of his nature seemed i'm.
parted to mine. l recollected that
Nita Barlotti, the girl whom had
sworn to save, was still in the hands
OF men whose purposes were not
always good. My own love for Edith
Broughton welled up within me, and
surged through my heart as it had
never done before. Perhaps an hour
passed and l awoke. My dream was
ended. l awoke from it a new man.
l arose from my chair and walked
around my cell. Near the window I
paused. | saw some words carved in
the cement wall. They were in shad-
ow, and it required some minutes Of
effort before l could decipher them.
Shading my eyes from the light which
came through the grated window,
gazed steadily at the letters until.
accustomed to the dim light which
fell upon them, | made them out.
On one line carved in bold letters.
was the name. Henry Thorlane."
And under it, in smaller but not less
distinct characters, were the words,
Il will avenge."
was in the cell occupied once by
the son of the Englishman about
whom Mutterelli had told me, and
who was now, according to Mutter-
elli, in the monastery of The Saints.
The first thing to be done was to
learn as much as possible of my sur
roundings. This was an easy matter
so far as the cell was concerned.
knew every inch of it already.
But there was the window.
I dragged the table across the stone
floor and climbed upon it. 1t put
me just high enough to enable me to
look out through the strong bars Of
the title window.
Looking down, l saw that the pris-
on yard extended about forty feet
from the prison walls, and was sur
rounded by stone wall, surmounted
by sharpened spikes, over which it
would be impossible to climb.
l was getting hungry. and knew
that it must be noon. I supposed they
fed prisoners in Sardinia, and waited
patiently for my portion.
Dinner time came at last, and l was
agreeably surprised to receive at the
hands Of my keeper a substantial
meal. Doing justice to this, felt
like new man, ready for any emer.
gency and willing to take my chance
for liberty. But I must, reasoned,
bi1e my time and wait for a promis-
ing opportunity.
During the long night lay on my
prison bed, sleeping part of the time.
but having wakeful hours, In which
l pondered and studied over the great
problem of my life-how to escape
and carry the plans, now seemingly
ended in disaster, to a successful ter.
mination.
And one day followed another In
this wise, and night followed night,
until had spent weekin the prison.
had heard nothing from Mutterelli.
and gave him up.
Ito be continued.)