Evening star., 1921-11-27

to the royal inspector. Indeed, the
governor felt that he had rarely spent
SO pleasant and profitable an evening.
The time was half past 2 in the
morning: dawn would break at 3.
Don @. turned to Daal.
Now. my dear lieutenant" said
he, you had better be getting to your
machine. for we must start as soon as
it is light"
The lieutenant saluted and left the
room.
Il wish that you had been able to
ernor in a thick voice. Il have al
ready told you how sorry 1 am for
the accident which befell you. That
such a thing should have happened
in cell; in my prison. The
.governor waved his hands.
DO not mention it,. my dear COM
mandant:. The fault was entirely
mine. The warder warned me, but
l would have my own way
A moments silence fell and Don
Q. looked toward the high windows
for the first hint Of dawn. for with
dawn would come his moment for
action.
LIVER since he had seen Grulla in
IL his cell and questioned the
warder his plan of action had been
clear. Escape out of the prison by
any ordinary method seemed impos-
sible in view of the number of sem
tries he would have to pass, and those
forty-foot walls with the spikes on
the top. and even after that. should
he succeed in passing these obstacles
in one way or another. perhaps hue
and cry would be raised through the
town. No; there was only one way.
and Don Q. was awaiting for that
first whitening light of dawn to put
it into operation. But the night with.
the governor struck once more upon
IT trust. colonel, that you are salts
fed with what you have seen Of my
administration here"
More than satisfied" replied Don
@. "As l have said before. a more
well ordered and well conducted
establishment it has not been my
good fortune to inspect. Your
health. my dear commandant, and
may you long hold the post for which
YOU are re-, so eminent,y X htted c1na m The
mantelpiece struck :. 3 and without
glancing again at the windows Don
Q. turned to the commandant.
There is one thing more you can
do for me before I take my leave Of
you" said he.
"And what is that?"
"You can give me your complete
obedience for half an hour
Tho governor looked up and re-
coiled. The lees Of the wine died out
of him and he gave a gasp. for he
, found himself facing the muzzle Of a
revolver.
Il see you are surprised" said Don
@. Let me explain. am desolated to
cause you any Inconvenience. but 1
came here for a purpose and that pur-
L.. k,,f1 ILL., l@f> MAJ
do not speak, I will make everything
clear. 1t Is absolutely necessary that
the prisoner Lopez, in cell A.. should
accompany me when ! leave. All that
wish is that you assist me in taking
steps to that end"
."That is very sad" returned Don @.
"But we waste time, L must act at once.
You have your choice of two alterna-
tives: either you will do as !. tell you. OR
/ shall be compelled to cause q vacancy
for new -commandant. You UNDER
stand me?'
II do not understand what you' wish
me to do"
II wish you to give orders that the
prisoner be brought here. l then wish
you to walk with me out Of the prison
in order to see me of for Ceuta. We
and l are light weights and 1 daresay
that the machine win bear us. That Is
all that wish you to do"
''Who are you?"
'sYou know that am Colonel Esca-
pulco, the royal commissioner for the in
spection of prisons"
Royal commissioners do not act in
this fashion.
Don Q. shrugged his shoulders.
"The dawn is beginning to brighten"
said he. .'and It is time I Was away.
You quite understand me? First, you
will give orders that the prisoner Lopez
be brought here to this room; then We
where the excellent Lieut.. Daal IL with
Is aeroplane. You must not attempt
to give the alarm. either in this room
or on the. way. or you know the con-
Now the governor was brave enough.
but he realized the nature Of the man
with whom he had to deal and saw no
sense in throwing away his life useless
ly. Besides,. as the situation began to
become more clear to him. he thought
he saw an opportunity OF turning it ulti-
mately. to his advantage.
when they arrived at the aeroplane. It
would be necessary for Don q. to get on
hoo ri Round the aer0nlanA WAS the