Part 19 (1/2)

So she had found them at last--no! not _them_, for the Heir-to-Empire was not there--he had been stolen away! Roy could have leaned his head on Down's soft fur and cried his heart out in despair at his own helplessness, but he set his teeth instead and dug harder with the sword point

Would the bar never loosen? So the er sword and the soft, soothing purr of the cat as she sat beside hi him indifferently Then suddenly the latter ceased and Down leaped swiftly to the floor of the cell Doubtless she heard sos hus humans do not know, so perhaps she heard a e, or even in the next cell Anyhow she _ to be let out

Ah! if he only could let her out! If the door were only open, thought poor Roy, as he worked away at the still immovable bar

”No! Down, no! I can't,” he murmured bitterly as the cat _miaowed_ _ went on Down became quite plaintive, then ill-used; finally she leaped onto Roy's shoulder, licked his ear with her rough red tongue as if to coax hi to be let out

Why was she so set on it? Roy turned to look at her half stupidly and for a ; forgot everything save that Doas asking to be let out So wearily he passed to the door, and scarcely conscious of what he was doing, laid his hand on the latch

”I can't, Down,” he said; ”I can't open--” He broke off hurriedly

For the latch yielded, the door opened!!

It could never have been locked!!

Had they forgotten, or, having secured the Heir-to-Empire, had they not cared what became of the henchman? The latter, e along which Down had already disappeared

Another second and Roy, sword in hand, had disappeared down it also, re as he ran a certain little fretted ardens below For Roy, of course, knew every turn of the Bala Hissar This balcony opened onto an unused gallery rooain this, bolt the heavy door behind hi a rope fro; but it was a good twenty h while he worked he thought of nothing else; of nothing but soarden Once there he would face the next difficulty One was enough at a time And then, when he had made the rope fast to one of thewith his feet just touching the top for it but to let go, snatch at the branches as he fell and trust to chance for safety He found it; and dropped to the ground amid a perfect shower of shed peach petals

So he stood for an instant to consider what ate! Aye!

but which? The farthest from the point of attack would be the best, as there would be less vigilance there Thatround; yet heof the eastern sky But the moon had set and the shadows, always darker in the hour before dawn, lay upon all things

And luckily he knew every turn of the Bala Hissar garden, knew every point where danger an to ed h the bushes while thethem, still as a mouse, while the measured march came toward him And once he had to run for bare life from a shower of arrohich a company of soldiers sent into the darkness after a suspicious rustling in the bushes But mostly the men on duty had too much to think of outside the walls to trouble thes inside thes he caate, a sh archway It was too dark for hiainst the outside wall to consider what he had to do next The place seeht from the archway and the even trauarded

What was he to do? It would be useless for hiate beyond must be locked, or at any rate bolted and barred He must either, therefore, try and overpower the ain the flat roof by the stairs--of which he knew the position--and, trusting to find a rope or soate, let hirown lad of nigh fifteen, tall for his age, and with his light, youthful sinews of iron ht well be a match for many a man, especially as his purpose was like steel, and that is ever half the battle But there was the chance of other soldiers being within call, and that ht mean failure Now, _that_ must not be Roy had to succeed--he must!

Therefore the roof was the wiser, safer plan; heto escape notice when the sentry's back was turned

Till then--silence!

But even as he settled this in his ainst hi cold suddenly touched his face, and the next s and joyful barks arose, as so itself all over hi Tu, then rose to his feet feeling himself discovered, prepared to run for it But it was too late A sentry, lantern in hand, roused by the commotion, barred the way All seemed lost, but a ray of hope shone when the fahan sentry, the unrepentant turncoat, was heard as the lantern waved in Roy's very face

”By s! How coht, friend?”

The voice was a little thick, as if the owner, finding the quiet of the Delhi Gate wearisoave a gasp--he was too confused for thought ”The dog--” he began

”Aye! The dog that was yours and is mine,” jeered the sentry ”So he nosed you out, did he? Knows his duty--good dog, Tumbu! Knows his master now! Knoho saved hiutter Eh! you brute!”

He lunged a kick at Tu fro, in truth, a trifle confused For the Afghan sentry had certainly found hi that here at least was souely connected with the past life But now he stood doubtful, expectant, his little ears pricked, his small eyes watchful