Part 38 (2/2)

This nerved the younger rains upon the floor, to sweep the convinced, in his agony of fear, that the little burning train would soed the lock But in spite of his efforts the fire was too quick, the fla by the bottom of the frame, and with a yell of despair he dashed to the other corner of the far side of the lobby, to ie explode, and then the iron door driven back to crush the minutes to the tretched men as they crouched there with their eyes shut, but it was only the matter of a few seconds'

suspense before the little chamber was in total darkness, and filled with the dull, dank reek of the burnt powder

At last the foote had not gone off and the tin had not been reached

He looked in the direction of the great safe, but all was black, and, rising slowly, he felt his way to the door to try if it were really fast; while as his hands glided over it he found that it fitted so closely that he could hardly make out the crack between door and frah, was for the lock, in the hope that he should be able to force it off with one of the wedges, and then, arht escape

But there was no lock to attack, no key-hole That which he sought was of the , and wherever he passed his hands, the surface was perfectly smooth

”Curse the old Jezebel!” he muttered ”Here, Roach, old man, rouse up

We're done, but we can't stay here--we et out sohter”

”No, no, no,” groaned Roach ”I did not see her She ot free somehow I only felt her hands as she jumped upon me frooing off?”

”No! Get up There isn't a spark now Phew! it's enough to stifle a fellow Where's that wine?”

”I put it somewhere in this corner Yes, here”

”Give us hold Be sharp”

There was a clicking noise in the utter darkness and after feeling about for a few rasped the bottle, drank heavily, and passed it to his tre companion, who snatched at it and drank deeply in turn

”That's better,” cried Arthur, sharply ”Now then, the ht Are you h, but we et out alive,” groaned Roach

”Well, I oes I can't use the haes in this blessed darkness”

There was the crackle of a match, and the elder ain, but as the wax taper burned up steadily in Arthur's fingers, and no explosion followed, he obeyed his companion's order and picked up the lamp, which proved not to be utterly drained of oil, and after a little patient effort began to burn again as it was replaced in the broken lantern

”Now, then, sharp's the word,” said Arthur ”Hold the light while I chisel out the wood till I can get at the lock Mustn't use the hauard Wonder whether she's outside listening”

There was not a sound to be heard, and with Roach treht, Arthur worked aith the sharpest-edged wedge, but ress, for a few cuts were sufficient to prove that the door was of the hardest oak, and when theaway for nearly an hour, with the perspiration strea down his face, it was to thron the chisel in despair, for the wood proved to be only the casing of an iron door of great strength

”Givebeside shi+vering there?”

Roach groaned as he handed the bottle

”Man wants a bit o' Dutch courage over a job like this”

”We shall never get out,” groaned Roach