The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-08-11

- W YAK EsgssszsSs|
The Count Pointed to Square Stone
In the Wall.
had been written, that only the arms
of the people he loved had strained
about him and their faces laid against
his, and that so, wordlessly, they had
told him but one thing-their undying
love. Weak, lonely, his intense tenn
permanent stretched to the breaking
point by the last three months of fear
full hope, it was more than he could
bear. He put the papers against his
cheek and his heat dropped on the
bed, and a storm Of tears tore his soul
and body. But it was dangerous; he
must not be off his guard; he remem-
bered that swiftly, and with shaking
fingers he opened Pietro's letter
Pietrc's letter which, yellowed and
faded but distinct yet, in the small
clear writing, is guarded today with
those other letters In the mahogany
desk in Virginia.
"My dear brother Francois" the let
ter began, and quick tears came again
at that word brother" which said so
much. MY dear brother Francois
this is not to tell you how / have
searched for you and never forgotten
you. l will tell you that when 1 see
you. This is to tell you how to get
out of that house of mine which has
held you as a prisoner when you ought
to have been its welcome guest. When
Italy is free we will do that over; but
we must get you free first. Francois,
| am now within five miles of you
The man on his knees. by the prison
bed gasped; the letters staggered be-
fore his eyes.
Il am living on a ship, and I will
explain how got it when l see you, in
few days now, Francois Every night
for week, beginning with tonight,
there will be person watching for
you in Riders Hollow, from midnight
till daylight. After that we shall go
away for two weeks so as to avoid Civ.
ing suspicion, and then repeat the ar.
rangement again every night for a
week. You do not know Riders Hol
low, and it is unnecessary to tell you
more about It than that it is lonely
place hidden in trees, and supposed to
be haunted by ghosts of men on horse
back; the people about will not &C
there for love or money except by
broad daylight.
This is the way you are to gel
there Tn he - ~,
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. Il
you press the lower corner on the left
hand side, of the stone under this, the
big stone above will swing out anG
show an opening large enough for {
man to pass. Going through, you close
the door by pressing the same stone
and you then will find yourself in al
underground passage which lead:
straight half mile through the eartl
TO Riders Hollow. The passage is five
hundred years old and only the famil,
of the Zappis have ever known Of it
went through 1t once in my boyhooC
with my father, and it was in perfec
condition, so l believe it will be now
1t was built with solidity-as one ma.
believe, for if the old Zappis wanted i
at all they wanted it in working order
your part will be difficult, Fran
| co.'s, but believe you can do it. Yol
will have to get the key of the wine
! cellar, or else force the lock. Can vol
do that? 1t is necessary to do il
Francois, for we cannot get on with
out you, and we shall from now. liv,
only to set you free. 1 send you some
thing which may be useful"
Francois dropped the letter an,
picked up the long loaf and tore i
apart. There was file in the center
AS if a powerful tonic had been in
fused into him he felt strength an,
calmness pour through him. He rea,
the letters over and over till he ha,
them by heart; then he concealed then
carefully, with the file, in his mattress
After that he sat down and concer
trated his mind with the new fore
working in it, on his plan
The governor was almost certain t
have him down to dinner again in tw
or three days; it was pity that Will
he was there, all but on the spot, b
could not possess himself of the ke
and escape. He thought over one o
two plans on that basis, but they al
shipwrecked on the fact that tn
/ guards were accustomed to take hir
back to his room at eleven, and that
failing notice from the governor, the
would certainly come to find out VIII
If they were not called. That woul
start the pursuit: he must have tn
night clear. So he unwillingly let g
of the great advantage of his owl
presence in the governors room, s.
near the scene of action, and planne
otherwise. With infinite forethought
with an eye to every contingency pos
sible to imagine. he planned; and whel
tho notice came, two days later, tina
the Count Won Gersdorf wished him t
dine with him that night, Francois
heart leaped madly but exultantly, 70
he was ready.
Never had the young Frenchmal
been more entertaining, more winning
to his tyrant than tonight but the ex
element of what was before him mad
it almost out Of the question to ca
the counts dinner AS before, tn
count prescribed old wine as a tonic
ard took Francois with linn to get it
Tonight there were three bottle,
brought up-the count was preparing
to drink hard. And Francois had som,
trouble in not drinking with him: Blu
he kept up his end with singing ant
acting. with a dance or two out of tn,
peasant repertoire of the Jura, will
a mock drill of an awkward squad a