CHAPTER XXVI. FROM QUARRY TO PRISON.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 381, 29 June 1889, Page 4

CHAPTER XXVI. FROM QUARRY TO PRISON.

Wat urged his horse to the very limit of its speed, and oa they wore now out of the settled parts of the city thore was no danger in doing so. Sofia followed with a furious determination, which kept her nearer to him than Wat liked. Still he could see that he was gaining on her, and before they came in sight of the fortress he was out of the reach of her eye. As soon as he was aware of this, he swept around toward the quarry and, alighting, gave his horse a sharp slap, which sent it on past the fortress. A quick glance around showed him that he wap not observed, and he at once slipped down into the quarry excavation. This took him out of the range of Sofia's vision when she should como nearer to the fortress. The tree spoken of by Grosser was unmistakable, and Wat made for it without a moment of delay. Indeed, Sofia was so near to him that it was doubtful if he would be able to reach the room in which Vera was confined before she did. However, he leaped up into the tree to the limb indicated by Gresser, and crawling out upon it, sought the groove mentioned. He found it without difficulty, and pulled on it. The rock rolled back as had been described, and he leaped in and closed it I again behind him. He took time to light his tiny detective lantern, although he knew every moment was valuable. But he knew he would waste more time without a light than with one. He now hurried rapidly along 1 , and reached the end of the passage without any difficulty. The ring was plainly in eight, and without hesitation or waiting to hear, if possible, what was going on in the room above, he caught it and pulled. The corner of the room swung aside, leaving a hole large enough for a big man to pass through. Wat knew there was not a second to lose, J so be sprang up through the opening, and J glanced about the room. The movement of the stone had been so silent that Vera had not been disturbed by it, and it was only as Wab sprang into the | room that she raised her head from a book she was reading. At the same moment Wat's quick ear caught the sound of feet in the corridor outside. Vera started for a moment, and then was about to scream for help. * Hush ! Not a word ! I come from Ivan, to save you !' Vera looked at him wildly, but neither spoke nor moved. The steps were now close to the door. There was not a moment to lose if he hoped to get Vera away. There was no time to explain or get Veras co-operation in the flight. He must take her away by force. He jumped to her side at the very moment that the key was burning in the lock. Taking her in his arms, he put his hand over her mouth to stifle her attempt to cry out, and carried her to the opening, and not any too gently thrust her into it. Then he sprang down himself, and closed the opening just in time to cub off the cry of terror made by Vera when she (found herself cast into what seemed to her a dark dungeon. A faint noise in the room just left told Wat that he had not been a secoud too fcoon, No doubt there was great confusion in the room, bub only a little of it penetrated to where they stood. ' Come !' said Wat. 'Who are you? What do you want?' demanded Vera. 1 1 am the American detective, Denton. Have you forgotten me so soon ?' 'Oh,' she cried, joyfully, 'now I know your voice, but I did nob recogniae your face, and you came upon me bo suddenly that I was frightened. How do you come here in such a mysterious way ? Is Ivan well ?' 'Yes, Ivan is well; bub wo must get away from here to the opening of this passage. But, stop i How long is it since you were visited by any of the prison officials ?' 'About an hour ago, when one of the men came to take the dinner dishes away.' ♦ Then they will know you cannot be far away. Hark ! They are sounding the walls now.' Wat listened for some time until he was satisfied thai? the way into the passage had nofc been discovered, and then he led the way to the farther end of the passage. He knew well enough that it would nob be safe to venture oub until night, and not even then without taking every precaution against capture. Sofia would be 1 sure to connect him with the escape and would have every avenue guarded. The escape of Vera meant the loss of Ivan, and ber woman's wits would -be sharpened to avert bhe cabasbrophe. When they reached the entrance to bhe passage, Wat opened the rock a very little and bhen they could hear ,the booming of the gun which proclaimed the escape of a prisoner. Descriptions of them both would be scattered broadcast over the country and liberal rewards offered for their recapture. Movement abroad , would therefore be fraught with the utmost danger. They might have staid where they were but for one thing. If it had not already suggested itself ib noon would that the very character of Veras escape made some secret exit from the room necessary. Consequently there would undoubtedly be a search made for such an exit, and the' walls of the room would probably be torn away. Discovery in that case would be inevitable; and then, if they were in the passage, they would certainly be discovered. , Still, there was no choice but to wait for nighb.tocome; and .preparing himself for a struggle if the need, were, Wat sat down and passed the. time recounting to 'Vera

It 1 „--,,, •the events of the time, she had been in prison. , ! , Nor did he now conoeal f com her her o\yn t , danger in being captured, She had, been kept in ignorance of thej fate in store for her, and , though , she felt sick at the thought of. what she had es-, caped, she was only imbued with the more courage to resist capture. ; Wat had not over-estimated her brave spirit, and he was not at all surprised ,to hear her ask for some weapon to at once defend herself, or, if need were, to kill herself rather than again fall into tho cruel hands of the government. Ho gave her his dagger. > 4 Ah,' she sighed, ,*if I were only safe in America, with Ivan at my side !' 4 You shall be. Do not doubt it. lam suie we shall evade them and get safely out of this accursed country. Opon my word I do not wonder that there are nihilists in a land where, life and death, sorrow, suffering, and shame, are mere playthings in the hands of one weakminded man. • How shall we over pay you for what you have already done, not to speak of what you propose to do ?' 'Ivan's father will settle my bill,' answered Wat, laughingly., c Ah, but money does not pay for such service.' 4 Well, let us wait until Ivan's bride' asks mo to name my own reward. If she remembers it then, I shall have it ready to name. ' ' "Do you think I shall forget how you have risked your life so nobly to savo mine ?' 4 Spare my blushes, countess.' 1 You are laughing at mo, and I am in earnest.' Wat was laughing, though he was in anything but a laughing mood. He was desperately anxious, indeed, for the result of the adventure, but he did not wish Vera to lose hope, and so ho made a pretonce of lightness of heart ho did not in reality feel.