The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-12-21
1nd in a moment enc feIlow slas


pieces ind in q moment the fellow vlas
secured.
Are there any others?' asked the
duke.
II do not know / answered. wait
and 1 will make the circuit" ! picked
up the gun again n started on the
round. / completed Ii without encount-
erlng any one. There are only two
sentries." i said. as l rejoined RICHIE
lieu.
Good" he answered." and now
what?"
my plan is to put on the clothes Of
these men and take their guns. When
the guard is changed we will descend
and will perhaps be permitted to go
out without question. If any one tries
to stop us, we must kill him.. At least,
we shall be armed"
Splendid cried Richelleu. "By my
soul, de Brancas. you are a man after
my own heart"
Let us see how long we have to
watt I said, and loosened the gag
in the mouth Of u first prisoner. Tell
us. fellow" l said to him, how soon
are the guards ~changed?"
I'm an hour he answered sui
lenly.
/ replaced the gag. and as I did SO
a new difficulty struck me.
I'VE must get rid OF these men," /
said. "If the guards who come after
us find them, they will give the alarm
and the prison will be aroused In a
moment"
But we cannot kill Them" cried
Richelieu. and I heard the two pris-
oners breathing heavily.
mo" / answered. "but we must get
rid of them, nevertheless. Wait a mo-
ment," and l made a rapid circuit OF
the roof. II have It. The chimneys."
THE chimneys?"
Yes: we can lift them over and drop
them inside"
But they would fall to the bottom@'
perhaps not. Let me see," and I ran
to the nearest chimney, drew myself
to the top Of It and carefully let my
self down. within. My feet encountered
IN obstacle, and l cautiously bore my
weight upon it. 1t seemed quite firm,
and / released my hold of the CHM
ney and stopped down to investigate.
l found that / was standing upon
a heavy iron grating solidly en-
bodied In the masonry. In a
moment / understood. 1t had been
place there to prevent any one crawling
up the chimney and perhaps escaping.
There was @ certain grim humor In
the thought that this grating, which
a been designed to prevent escape,
should be OF assistance to us. "Come,
tHlS iS exCeiient, L sdlu, CidnnpeTlnB
out. and / explained to Richelieu what
I had. found. zone man in each Chin
ney, well bound and gagged. / war
rant you they will not be soon dis
covered"
But they will be smothered," ex-
claimed the duke.
"By what?"
"By smoke and heat"
"Ah, o forget, monsieur" I said,
how few fires there are in the bastile,
and how small are the few which do
exist"
True murmured Richelieu, and
added, you seem to think OF every
thing my friend.
1t was the work of only q few mo-
ments to strip our prisoners and draw
their clothes on over our own. Each
had a dagger in his belt, and these also
we appropriated. Our hats we dropped
down the chimney nearest US.
Come. my friends" 1 said to
the two men. who were SILVER
ing. In the ley wind which swept
across the building, you are soon to
be ina warmer place. No, do not fear,
we are not going to harm you-that is,
If you keep still. We are going to slip
each of you down ne Of those CHM
neys, where, about six feet from the
teps there is a grating upon which you
can stand very comfortably. l promise
you, illO CoNSi, blldll L. you are Qultl dIlO
do not struggle we will send a message
to the governor in the morning telling
him where o are, so that he can re-
lease you"
I saw that the gags were fast and
that their hands and feet were securely
bound. Then I mounted the chimney
and, with the assistance Of Richelieu
pulled one Of the prisoners to the tor
and lowered him inside. I felt him
shudder as he swung over the inky pit
but his feet soon found the grating, and
in a moment he was standing in safety
and quite invisible from the roof. The
same maneuver was repeated at the
other chimney. I having first assured
myself that 1t was also grated, and
Richelieu n I were left alone upoI
the parapet. All Of this had taken time
and We knew h moment Of the relief
could not be far distant. We picked vi
the muskets n started to patrol the
roof.
THE password" 1 said to Richelieu
rs Montjoy and st. Denis"
And how under heaven do you know
that. my friend?" he asked, in amaze.
ment.
by. inspiration" I answered., and lef
him to his establishment. We hat
made the round s,arce half a 6ozer
times when we heard a door unbolted
"Montjoy," cried q voice.
"St. Denis" we answered, from diff
ferent parts Of the root.
"All right, mes enfants," cried tn,
voice; step lively, II you please"
A faint light appeared, and we has,
tened towards 1t.
you are TO report at once to tn,
governor" said the man, who by hi.
uniform ! saw to be an officer. "Tw.
Of the guards are Ill tonight and YOU
will have to do double duty"