Evening star., 1925-05-10

toned to the sight of weapons more
lethal than his own, covered at the
sight of the tough trio who called on
him and trembled so violently that l
expected him to bore a hole through
my cheek, in which case l should GER
tainly have made a suspicious move
ment and been shot, while the dentist
would probably have been bayoneted.
This tragedy averted, light refresh
ments seemed entirely in order. The
sentries were kind enough each to ac-
cept a present for their trouble in
looking after me. After that they let
me buy a saucepan to cook coffee in.
1t was a small thing to ask. Well,
the hardware merchant was a willy
man. 1t was the old story. I re.
turned with a saucepan, a stopped
tooth and five fathoms of rope under
my waistcoat. So now the stage was
set for another vanishing act.
But extreme caution was necessary.
No one had ever escaped from the
Seraskerat prison in all its several
hundred years of history and the feat
was considered impossible. All sorts
Of spies, conspirators and political
suspects were confined here and the
place swarmed with armed guards.
Surrounding it was a high wall and
this was also guarded. Prospects
weren't any too good, therefore.
X \ 4
MY first walk in the prison yard
was a day of jubilee. l found
that the yard was a garden. with a
charming view Of the cupolas and
minarets of Stamboul. Better still
Sir Robert Paul. my companion in ad-
oil ~
met for the first time in two months.
That garden seemed fair. indeed.
What talks we had, What stories
we told of our adventures since we
had escaped together. in July, from
the suburb of Psamattia. What splen-
did plans for the future we made!
Friendship and hope-is there any
thing better in this world?
Paul. like myself, had also man
aged to acquire rope and a fez, al.
though by different methods. On the
far side Of the garden, SO yards away
from the prison, there was a drop of
about 100 feet to an unfrequented
street. The garden railings were
mans head. We tested them while
admiring the view and decided we
could just squeeze through them, for
where a mans head can go his body
usually can follow.
The trouble was, we had only about
60 feet of rope between us, and the
drop looked double that, although
height Is notoriously hard to judge
This was not a matter that we could
afford to guess about, however. Six
sentries were stationed in the garden
They were carelsss, like all Turks, and
conceivably we might slip through the
M tbo u nv
had gotten wise to our movements.
No one knew we had ropes. nor
would the average sentry conceive
that any one would attempt to nego-
tiate the precipice. But IL the rope
was short, we would be left dangling
over an abyss with six sentries prac-
ticing musketry on us from above,
which would have been uncomforta.
BILE.
We thought again and again, finally
deciding to discard our hardly won
ing, squeezed through the railings. we
realized it would be possible to climb
along outside them, out OF the garden,
along an adjoining wall and then back
into the main square OF the Seraske-
rat. Here we would still be within the
technical limits Of the prison, but
away from our. immediate guards.
Opportunity Same one twilight even
ing about a week later. We were the
only prisoners out for exercise at the
moment, for, being the blackest of
mix with more innocent inmates of
the jail. The six stupid sentries
strolled about, looking at the stream
OF Greek clerks going into the restau.
rant near the entrance gate Of the
garden-looking at them rather sadly,
I think, for Greek clerks were coming
in for a square meal, q thing they
themselves hadn't had in months.
We were on the far side Of the gar.
den away from the restaurant and the
jail, admiring the view, according to
plan. Remember, for six or, seven
days our guards had seen us standing
there, or strolling slowly about, mild
hammered, listless, agreeable young
gentlemen.
The moment seemed too good to be
strue-and too good to be lost. Robin
put his head through the rails. did
the same, ana my flinching flesh fol.
lowed next instant, anticipating a bul.
let sting behind.
+ Silence. Safety. We were on the
right side of the railings. The six
stupid sentfies conversed together
needless Of our doinEs. 1t was twi.
light. We had 10 yards to climb (for
we had found no nearer convenient
gap) before we reached the shelterink
wall. After q moments pause for
breath. we clambered rapidly to free.
dom-as we thought.
But It was not to BE-. The railinxs
led past q window which Ne had rot
been able to see from the garden. AZ
this window sat three Turks. DISCUSS
hing lobster, bottle and the sunaet