Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-08-08

lantern bearer fumbled with the awk-
ward bolt his companion was saying:
"Hold on! After all, I'll bring the
other his food first, I think"
"But," demonstrated the lantern bear
er, "the governor said we were to
bring the E%nglishman to him at once"
"What if he did? How will be know
we stole a half minute to give the
prince his dinner? If we bring the
Englishman upstairs first, the prince
may have to wait an hour before we
can get back with the Englishman."
"Let him wait, then"
with his pocketful Of rubles? Not
I. He may decide to give no more Of
his gold pieces to a jailer who lets him
60 hungry too long,"
1--WE got the door unfastened now,
and"-
"Then fasten it again and come back
with me to No. L."
Faint as were the words, deadened
by intervening walls, their purport
reached Jack.
"Back to your place." he whispered.
They're coming!"
The rattle of bolts followed close on
his words. The great door of No. 1
swung ponderously inward. The Ian
tern bearer, holding his light high in
front Of him. entered, then stepped to
sne side to admit the jailer, who came
close after, the tray Of food in his out
stretched hands.
Unluckily for the captives' plan, 1t
was to the side of the cell opposite to
that where Alan crouched that the Ian
tern bearer had taken his stand. There
was no way Of reaching him at q
bound. The open door stood between.
Were the jailer to be attacked first his
fellow attendant could readily be out
Of the cell and halfway up the corri-
dor before Alan might hope to reach
Aim.
The friends had counted on both
men entering the room together and
crossing, as usual, to the table. This
change of plan Disconnected them. Al
ready the jailer had set down his tray
and was turning toward the door.
Alan, helpless, stood impotently in the
shadow, biting his blond mustache
with helpless rage. In another second
their cherished opportunity would van
ish. And as the %jailer's next visit was
to be to No. 2, discovery stared them in
the eyes.
1t was Jack who broke the momen-
tary spell of apathy. He was standing
at the far end of the cell, near the
stream.
"Herew he called sharply to the lam
tern bearer. Bring your light. My
electric apparatus is out Of order, and
I've mislaid my matches. l want to
FIX
The lantern bearer obediently had
advanced into the room. He was half
way across it while Lamont was still
speaking. Then from the corner Of his
eye he spied Alan crouching in the an
gle behind the door, now fully exposed
to the rays Of the lantern.
The man whirled about in alarm just
as Alan sprang. In consequence the
Engllshman's mighty fist whizzed past
his head, missing it by a full inch.
The jailer, recovering from his amaze
ment, whipped out n Of the revolv-
ers he wore in his belt, but Jack, leap
ing forward, knocked it from his hand
before he could fire and, with one hand
clapped across the fellows bearded
lips, wound his other arm about the
stalwart body s 70 rs to prevent for the
instant the drawing of the second
pistol.
Alan's first blow had missed clean,
but his second did not. Following up
his right hand blow with all a trained
boxers swift d~exterity, he sent a
straight left handler flush on the angle
Of the light bearers jaw. The man
dropped his lantern and collapsed into
a senseless heap on the floor, while
Alan, with no further delay, rushed
toward the jailer.
The fall Of the lantern extinguished
the light. The cell was again plunged
In dense blackness, through which
could be heard the painting and scuf-
ding OF the prince and the tailer.