The citizen., 1914-03-06
CHAPTER xvII.-continued.

G1AF IN NVlIs-OOnLlHueQ.
This is the way you are to get
there. in the wine-cellar of the cas-
tie, which opens from the governors
room-in old times always the room
of the lord-in that wine-cellar, on the
north wall, is square block of stone
projecting slightly beyond the wall. If
you press the lower corner on the left.
hand side, of the stone under this, the
big stone above will swing out and
show an opening large enough for a
man to pass. Going through, you close
the door by pressing the same stone,
and you then will find yourself in an
underground passage which leads
straight half mile through the earth
to Riders Hollow. The passage is five
hundred years old and only the family
went through it once in my boyhood
with my father, and it was in perfect
condition, so l believe 1t will be now.
1t was built with solidity-as one may
believe, for if the old Zappis wanted it
at all they wanted it in working order.
Your part will be difficult, Fran
co.'s, but believe you can do it. You
will have to get the key Of the wine
cellar, or else force the lock. Can you
do that? 1t Is necessary to do 1t,
Francois, for we cannot get on with
out you, and we shall from now live
only to set you free. send you some
thing which may be useful"
Francois dropped the letter and
picked up the long loaf and tore it
apart. There was file in the center.
AS il a powerful tonic had been in
fused into him he felt strength and
calmness pour through him. He read
the letters over and over till he had
them by heart; then he concealed them
carefully, with the file, in his mattress.
After that he sat down and concen'
trated his mind with the new force
working in it, on his plan.
The governor was almost certain to
have him down to dinner again in two
or three days; it was pity that while
ne was there, all but on the spot, he
could not possess himself of the key
and escape. He thought over one or
!, two plans on that basis, but they all
shipwrecked on the fact that the
guards were accustomed to take him
back to his room at eleven, and that,
failing notice from the governor, they
would certainly come to find out why
II they were not called. That would
start the pursuit; he must have the
night clear. So he unwillingly let go
of the great advantage of his own
presence in the governors room, so
near the scene of action, and planned
otherwise. With infinite forethought,
with an eye to every contingency pos
sible to imagine, he planned, and when
the notice came, two days later that
the Count Won Gersdorf wished him to
dine with him that night, Francois
heart leaped madly but exultantly, for
he was ready.
Never had the young Frenchman
been more entertaining, more winning
to his tyrant than tonight, but the ex-
element of what was before him made
it almost out Of the question to eat
IH0 COUNTS OluuGT. Ao uOlOiC, ShO
count prescribed old wine as tonic,
and took Francois with him to get It,
Tonight there were three bottles
brought up-the count was preparing
to drink hard. And Francois had some
trouble in not drinking with him; but
he kept up his end with singing and
acting, with dance or two out Of the
peasant repertoire of the Jura, with
mock drill of an awkward squad at
Saint-Cyr, with clever limitations of the
few people whom he had seen about
the castle, Battista's gruffness and
mangled German words, and the sniff
ding mixed with grandiloquence of
one Of the guards; finally he grew dar-
Ing and initiated the governors su-
pericr officer who had visited the
prison six months ago and had seen
Francois among the others Francois.