CHAPTER XX
ESCAPED
Once more Roy felt helpless and hopeless before the great task which
seemed to be laid upon him. He alone out of all the little
Heir-to-Empire's guardians knew the dire danger he was in. Yet how could
he, a poor, prisoned Rajput lad, save the young prince?
Still he had to be saved; he must be saved; and there was no time to be
lost. At dawn the firing would recommence from the Arkaban hill; at dawn
the helpless child would be in the half-breached bastion exposed to that
fire!
Yes! He, Roy, must get out somehow. If he could only loosen one bar of
the window so that he could squeeze through, then he might be able to
let himself down by a rope twined out of his long waist-cloth and
turban! Thus he might be able to get out of the fort! He might be able
to gain the camp on the Arkaban hill before dawn! So he might be able to
warn the guns not to fire on the bastion; might be able to tell them
that the Heir-to-Empire hung there!
What a number of "might be ables"; but would he be able, even for the
first task?
He took up his sword and began forthwith on the iron bar; but the mortar
was hard, he could scarcely make a mark upon it. Still, it must be done.
In order to free his arms better for the work he took off all his
clothes save his flimsy, sleeveless waistcoat and the loin-cloth that
was girt about him, and buckled down steadily. But when more than an
hour had passed the bar seemed as firm as ever.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173