The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-11-06


gesture from the other-"fumbled
with the keys; pretended he couldn't
find the right ones! So 1t took long
er to open the DOORS"
THE prisoners?"
Il left our men working at the last
dungeon to come on ahead-to let you
know you might soon expect them"
soon" ironically. may be too late"
"You mean-?"
"The hue and cry is out! have
long been expecting It: do not un-
derstand why 1t didn't come before;
unless a mountebank, locked up, was
considered safe enough for the
night"
Then some one knew?
"Some one" A bitter laugh was
quickly suppressed on the young mans
lips. "Hark! Listen!"
Sounds below! the soldiers!" ex-
claimed Sanchez. and started toward
the window to look out, only to fall
quickly back,
what Is it?" With his hand on the
others shoulder. the Black Seigneur
whispered the question.
"A face! At the window"
80 soon? The hounds are quicker
than thought! Or" drawing his
sword, 1T may be only one or two In
advance. In that case"
But no enemy, single or plural, met
their view, either in front, or at the
side of the guard-house; only the
darkness, void, empty. and the bare
rampant wall winding around the head
of the Mount like a monster guardian
dragon, asleep at his post.
Here is no one!"
mo one! Yet am sure l saw"
"A shadow" answered the other
And we have nothing worse to fight!
Some one was there. Seigneur,
stubbornly, "and hed!"
"Eh bien! He's gone!"
"He? 1t looked like "a"
Back with you. quick! Is this a
time for talk? Call those who can
come-if they would save their
necks!"
|
servant, and, as he spoke. the first OF
, their men, blowing out the light he
} carried, ran quickly across the guard
chamber and into the open air. 9th
ers hastily followed. until the gather
ing, swelled by those brought with
them from the dungeons. stood ex
, pectantly before the little stone struc
ture.
J "All the prisoners are here?"
"All!"
: ITO the wheel-house, then!"
J But as they hastened across the
square and into the narrow way, the
Black Seigneur again spoke to the
man just ahead:
"The hunchback?"
I'VE left him below, locked up II
/ the Devils Cage!"
. "The DEVILS Cage! Quelle bonnt
) plaisanterie! Although" looking back
r 'it may cost us dear!"
r And indeed, behind the sound Of pur
; suit came nearer; the clatter Of sol
} diers' feet grew louder, until, reaching
l the little square and the guard-house
l all tumult suddenly ceased. A mo
3 mentary silence. strange, ominous
g was broken by din Of voices, as th'
: flaring here and there Of torches
3 threw grotesque reflections. higl
! against the grim background Of blacl
8 masonry.
To those now within the wheelroom
9 the cause OF that abrupt clamor wa
}, not difficult to divine; his Excellency'
/, soldiers had found the sentinels over
l powered in the guard-house! Woult
!. the former stop to investigate; searcl
: first those subterranean passages? Al
+ ready had the prisoners, the weake
: of the Black Seigneurs men, filled TIT
+ car, or hung clinging to the rop,
!. above; already was the wheel turning
/ almost before the key had turned II
8 the lock at the entrance.
= "Seigneur!"
:, Sanchez
+ "When we left the wheel-room, W,
4 closed the door,"
y when we got back, tt"
y A football without interrupted, fol
lowed by the sound Of hand at tn
a door. and other steps drawing near,
+ "Jacques!" An expectant voic
Q spoke; waited; called louder. The
those outside listened; some one e1
claimed, and hurried footsteps retreat
g ed toward the guard.house.
d AS they died away, in the whee
l. room the car came up for the secon
l. time empty. and inquiringly the me
l. there looked from one to the other