Part 6 (2/2)
”Sentries are stationed only along the open side of the square, I think?” I whispered tovainly to penetrate the intense darkness in our front
”True,” he responded in so low a voice I could scarcely catch the words, a slight falter betraying that the strange conditions preyed upon his unaccustoht”
”Then ill assue Keep close, and venture no speech, whatever happens”
It proved sloork at the best, as it would never do to have a Spanish spy dogging our footsteps I doubt not it tested good Father Petreni to the utterht the better of hih the darkness As forof walls, and skulking areater zest for the e in such matters; they have ever been so much a portion of life to ht of heady wine He was the truly brave man ithout any such incentive as I possessed, left his books and quiet cell that night to follow reat desertedbreathlessly in the dense shadows of the huge warehouse standing upon the very brink of the broad river As we rested thus we could hear soft lapping of running water along the further wall, while occasionally soht to our strained ears the distant creaking of chains, as the great war-vessels swung by their cables against the swift current Beyond this the night was intensely still, black, unfathoh down upon us with its noiseless burden of glooe?” I asked the priest in some anxiety
”I ithin it only once, and observed little of its features I was called there in haste to speak words of peace to a sorely injuredup to the second floor in the dark?”
I thought he gave a gesture of dissent, yet so dense was the night I could barely note the movement
”I am not certain, my son, yet to my remembrance it leadeth up near the centre upon the river side The building is doubtless empty of all its cotton at this time of year, and we should be able to feel our way across if only once within How do you purpose gaining entrance?”
”Pah! that is the simplest portion of the whole venture,” I said confidently ”I am not likely to overlook such a point The thirdfroht this stick to pry it apart Then the interior will be ours, unless they keep a watchman stationed within”
”Thou needst have s empty”
We crept cautiously forward,blindly in the darkness for the loosened shutter previously located At lastthe bottoers, I inserted the stout oaken bar within the aperture, and, after listening intently to detect any presence close at hand, exerted ht rasping, as if a wire dragged along a nail,--a penetrating shrillness there was to it which sent a tingle to the nerves,--then the heavy shutter swung outward, leaving ae of a man's body I lifted myself by my hands and peered cautiously within Everywhere was impenetrable blackness, while the silence was so profound as to give a sudden strange throb to er, I drewdoard untilfeet touched the floor Once safely landed I leaned forth again, and in another htly drawn behind us With a feeling of relief I faced that black interior Now, at least, ere beyond chance of discovery by any prowling Spanish guard, and could advancemy hand upon his shoulder to make sure of his presence ”I will keep hold upon your robe, so we shall not part company in the darkness”
Very sloe felt uncertain passage across the uneven floor It appeared littered with innumerable articles of the box and barrel order, with here and there a pile of loose lu such a ju our direction became simply impossible in that intense darkness which seemed to fairly s us
We did well to proceed at all, and escape creating a racket by stu over some of the many unseen obstacles in our path As toand clirow completely lost, but fortunately the priest kept a so blindly for soh he would sed to put hand at last upon the object of his patient search
”'T is here,” he whispered ”Shall I go up?”
”Ay!” I returned hopefully, glad I had restrained the i before you venture stepping on it; they ht”
He swung hi in his robe about the waist, but the ladder creaked so alarht upon it until he had safely reached the top Finally the noise of his clih above me
”Are you up safe?” I questioned in a low voice
”All safe, praise be to God,” came the cautious response; ”but thou wilt do well, friend, to exercise grave care, as the way is bad”
It required brief exploration to convince us that this second story possessed a strong, fir traps in it for the hoisting of cotton, while the boards ht not extend over the entire surface By this tirown so us, so the slightest change in the prevailing gloom became quickly apparent The air was so fresh and pure, with such a taste of the night in it, I beca soestion to my companion He proved keener of vision than I, for even as we thus spoke he plucked my sleeve and pointed upward
”Then surely it will be yonder,” he exclaierness of voice than I had before htness to the at to the sky”
It appeared true even to me, now that he had pointed out the spot
”It must be the roof hatch uplifted Noe discover a ladder leading thereto I shall accept it as proof that God guideth us this night, and feel new courage”