The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-12-28
CHAPTER XXI.
Escape from the Tower.

I chung to my precarious support,
lying PROSTATE on the broad stone gut
ter. The roar of the swirling river
beat at my senses confusedly; the
giddy height made my head swim
Something of the horror had felt In
rounding the overhanging shoulder OF
the mountain with Willoughby that
fatal day came to me now.
But presently that giddiness passed.
The extraordinary promise OF Madame
de WARMER rang in my ears How 1t
was possible for her to explain away
Sir Mortimer's damning words II the
letters were genuine, could not see.
But this had been a day OF miracles
Slowly made my way toward the
1lrst of the thanking towers. The wind
struck me with redoubled force as
turned the corner. heard the ensign
above futtering loudly In the gale.
/ looked up. could see it now. 1t
1ioated bravely in the spanking breeze.
The moon, shining squarely on 1t,
made it even possible for me to distin-
Tuish its design. 1t was the national
Gag of England, the royal arms in its
center. Then l remembered the quota
ton from the Blue Book had read
early in the morning just before Cap
tain Forbes had signaled to Helena:
THE flag to be used by His Males
tvs Diplomatic Servants, whether on
shore or embarked on boats, is the
Union, with the Royal Arms in the
center thereof, surrounded by q green
garland"
l had reached my goal now. For
some minutes I was compelled to lie
inactive, however; for the flag. belly
sng m the gale, made it impossible for
me to grasp the cords.
As lay there impatient, waiting my
chance, glanced below. could see
plainly the ladder of stones, as Ma
dame de WARMER had called 1t, the
ragged edges of the granite sparkling
brightly In the moonlight. leaned
over as far as dared; they extended
as Gar as I could see.
As my eye travelled the line to thu
terrace below, the door Of the grea
hall opened. A food of light irradiatet
q portion of the terrace. 1 saw dis
tinctly two figures conversing me
ment at the doorway. One of thes
figures entered the chateau again, bu
the other, and / had recognized d.
Starva by his great bulk before tn
door was shut, stole across the terrac
and entered brougham that stoo
waiting.
As the carriage disappeared unde
the covered archway of the passae
beading to the village street l mad
renewed efforts to reach the cords.
could readily guess DIR. Starva's mi
sion. He had gone to meet Prime
Ferdinand at the station Heave
knows how eager / was to be one
the reception committee!
When at last had caught one
the cords, l severed 1t thoughtless
with my penknife. had not counts
on the strength necessary to hold
large a flag. The cord slipped fro
my hand. l expected the flag to II
and reached out frantically for d
other rope But in some way tAe TO
I had severed, and to which the a.
was not fastened, became entangled
the pulley and the flag falling halfw
down the pole. remained at half-mas
now reached up as far as cou
standing on the stone gutter. / "
about to sever the other cord, that
which the flag was fastened, when
occurred to me to attempt to dis
gage the ropes from their fasteni
at the window below. / was compile
u successful. estimated that B
now q length of at least SO feet.
When / had plated the cords d
Died, and knotted them at intervals
orevcnt them from slipping throt
uy hand. / made loophole to I