The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-05-04
CHAPTER XVI

CHAPTER XVI.
/ In the meantime Geo Salvarez, his
wife, daughter and their brave rescuers
have gained place Of safety in the
secret passage.
You speak of getting to TIE ORR
noco,' said thu vile of Salvarez. "It is
Impossible. as you know. How can you
| travel without being captured again?"
I had already thought of that" said
the General. The thing is difficult, l
will admit. But the difficulty of tray
! cling is not the heaviest On my mind.
II | go. must go alone. l must leave
you and Jacinta here. My anxiety is
for you. What will become of you
while l am away?"
You need not be alarmed for them,
General Salvarez." said Arthur. ut is
| certain that, aside from ourselves, no
person about the castle suspects the
existence of this place. While they re-
main in ignorance we are safe enough,
and l assure you we shall make no
effort to inform them Of the facts. And
you may rely on us. We are only two.
of course, but as far as our protection
can go, your wife and daughter shall
have it,
Right" said Tempest. 1.-TWO Amer
leans are as good as a dozen of that
rabbe upstairs
Salvarez smiled.
you seem to have been better than
the entire force tonight" he said. Il
agree with you that this place is safe
enough; but how will you live? It
| lacks the necessary comforts. Then
the matter Of food is most important. +"
Tempest laughed.
| Eve must do without the comforts,
General" he said But as for food,
with river full of fish running past
CUR hidden door, and fruit to be had
for the picking. not to mention a stray
calf or two from your own herds, I
don't think We'll starve. Don't fear
for us. If We continue to have the
same number Of hours at night that
the country has had since the creation,
and the soldiers of the new king con-
tinue to drink plenty of Intoxicating
beverages, we can walk all around and
never be caught"
You give me renewed courage" said
Salvarez. IF two young men who are
strangers here can accomplish these
things, General of the Republic
should not hesitate. Since | am as
sured OF the safety of my dear ones,
there remains nothing now for me to
do but go. If could but get word to
Ramana."
Who? Ramana, the Garib?" asked
Medworth.
Yes" replied Salvarez. "Ramana is
DID, but he is a true friend''
What message would you send
him. asked Arthur. Il know his hut,
l can go there now"
You might be captured"
did not Tempest just now tell you
that we could go anywhere?"
go, them said Salvarez "See
Ramana, and say to him that Salvarez,
his friend, is in trouble. Tell him that
| have escaped from the castle, and
must cross the Orinoco at once, with
out being seen at Bolivar OF any other
place On this side. Tell him | must
start before it is light. Tell him to
bring his large canoe, and his son,
Ravona, to help him paddle Tell him
to meet me twenty feet below the Sc
cret passage
Medworth then hurried away, eau
tiously worked his way out OF the Sc
cret passage and started off toward
Ramana's hut. He found the old In
dian asleep in a rude hammock of
grass, and woke him up to give him
the message of Salvarez
He was much surprised at the agility
displayed by the old Indian. He called
RaVona, who slept in another ham
mock, and, without wasting time in
saying farewell to Ramana's aged wife.
they hurried, accompanied by Med
worth, to the river bank, where a long.
light canoe was moored.
Come" said Ramana.
Medworth took his seat, and the two
Caribs, with powerful arms, sent the
canoe speeding down the Coroni. In
short time they had reached the
trysting-place, and the PROV of the
canoe was shot into the overhaneing
grass on the bank.
Where is he?" asked Ramana.
He will come" said Medworth.
"Wait here"
They had not long to wait. Sal
varez had timed them pretty accurate
", and a few minutes after they ar
rived he appeared, creeping along
slowly in the darkness.
"Ah! you are here" he said.