New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-07-12
By PERCY BREBNER
eSK
(Con'tinuel)

mo. Tomorrow mo revvil1s5; wni
commence. Halt the city q Vascas
already"
..The princess win not consent"
aid after pause.
sYet vascA must succeed tonight"
said Organ slowly, ''ths vasca I am
thinking Of. The count will be alone
With the princess and will have tho
keys Of the dungeon. You will enter.
and you will kill him. Take his cloak
and hat and sword Then drag bis
body to the slip and let it 60. Use ex-
petition. Open the door and walk out
Of the fortress. Do not speak If you
can help it. Your voice might betray
you. AS you go through the city you
will be watched. but have no fear.
They will be watching to see that you
come to no harm. They are your
friends. The city gate will open for
you at a sign. and you are free to
make the best of your way to the
woodcutter's cottage. shall be wait
ing there with horses"
"And afterward?"
sunless you are delayed. by dawn we
should be we'll on our way toward the
Mace where you entered this Internal
country. We must trust to luck to ind
the way out. Now do you thoroughly
! understand"
Eyes: When do got"
'sYou will presently hear the guard
changed in the corridor without Then
tie your rope securely and descend.
Here is sword. See that you do not
drop It as you go down. Do not go be-
fore your time or you will ruin every
thing. Don't be too courteous with
Vasca Once he hired an assassin to
stab you in the dark; just remember
that and Stay him as you would
/ mad dog. Now l must 60"
We grasped each others hand. and
he left me-
Suddenly heard the guard changed.
The time had come, and my heart beat
faster waited until the sound OF
the mems measured tread had died
away down the corridor. and then
went to the slab. A dozen fears took
hold of me at that moment Indeed.
my hand trembled as put the key
!, into its hole.
It turned easily, and the next mo-
I her., had raised the slab.
! ! The dungeon was pitch dark. had
to be careful not to slip into the hole.
! could hear the swish Of the river far
below me-a noisy sound it was. COM
! ing up through the shaft.
l found the ring. and to 1t tied the
rope. tested the security of the knots
at least half a dozen times before l
let the rope 20. It swung out to Its
length with a jerk. I fastened the
sword tightly round me. and then |
stood for moment. 1t was short
prayer l muttered-too short. perhaps.
for the great matter I was entering
upon, but it was an earnest one. Then
sat upon the edge Of the slip and,
grasping the rope with both hands. let
myself go. dropping to my full length.
II was the way that only dead men
took, yet l, a living one.-was about to
take it.
It had seemed pitch dark in the dun
geon. yet hung in a greater blackness
/ and, could discern the opening above
my head. I wasted no time now had
. begun my journey. 1t was simply
i matter of sliding down the =
y stsadying myself by the rope.
1 was easy enough.
I, must have traversed nearly
fifty, feet of rope. yet my feet hal
WAYS met the wall. had come to 40
other hole, no other slip joining the
main shaft. Hand over hand l went
down, first feeling the rope with my
feet to make certain that was not at
thessnd of it, then feeling the wall. not
/ to miss the opening sought for.
4 Hand over hand, then my feet dan
I CLING below me-there was no more
rope For an instant felt inclined to
LET go and fall to death. so ending my
Ttroubles. Then went up hand over
4hand in desperate haste, and. having
|got the rope between my knees again.
II hung, swinging, and steadied myself
Ito think. Either had missed the hole
Tor Organ was mistaken; the rope was
mot long enough. Perhaps it was be-
cause the first solution was the most
acceptable that believed it to be the
correct one. l took courage and
climbed upward, stretching my legs to
right and left searching for the hole.
4 might have missed it even then had
I not heard a sound that made me
listen intently. Yes; it was distinct
from the Kissing of the water below
me- the murmur of mans voice.
, WAS it above me in the dungeon had
escaped from? If so, had only to walt
b few moments should feel the rope
lerked. or else it would be cut, and so
IN end to me. hung. waiting, and
it'll in dull monotone the voice went
On. Suddenly little below me and to
ny left the rocky wall seemed to grow
luminous. Pickering light that shone
for a moment, then died, then shone
again.
els that q good way out Of life?"
Yhe voice sounded low, yet the