THE FLIGHT
By what miracle had Albert escaped?
The reader will recollect that Gratillet had fallen into the sea of
blood which had streamed from the wounds of the victims. As soon as the
Khouans had gone a flock of vultures immediately encircled the scene of
the massacre and began to hover about the dead bodies.
Albert was leaning with closed eyes against the post, when a well-known
voice angrily cried:
"Captain, let us think now of our rescue."
It was Gratillet.
"Let me die," murmured Albert, wearily. "I do not care to live any
more."
"You are talking nonsense. Die, forsooth! Shake off your torpor and be a
man."
"Through what miracle did you recover your life?"
"None, I tell you. I never was dead; only shamming. Oh, if I only had a
knife."
While Gratillet was talking he worked at Albert's cords with his teeth
and nails, and finally succeeded in freeing him.
"And now," he said, "let's decamp, and that as soon as possible."
The two men were soon on the road, the journalist peering about and
keeping up a lively conversation.
"Here is a narrow pathway!" exclaimed the reporter suddenly. "Captain,
lie down on the ground near me, and we can continue our little walk on
all-fours."
Albert followed the journalist's orders, and the next minute was lying
on the ground near his companion.
"Well done," said Gratillet. "Now we must be very careful, for it is
pitch dark and banisters are unknown in Uargla. Ah, now I know where the
pathway comes from. It is a ditch which gets the rain from the rocks."
"Do you need a cord?" asked Albert. "If so, I have a scarf which answers
the same purpose."
"Is it strong?"
"Best of wool and perfectly new."
"How long is it?"
"Four yards."
"Then give it to me."
Albert handed it to him and he bound it about his arms. This done,
Gratillet swung himself over a precipice and began his dangerous
journey.
"Flying is not so bad after all," said the reporter. "It is doing
splendidly and I--"
The scarf broke and Gratillet fell to the bottom, carrying Albert along,
who had held one end of it.
At the same moment the discharge of musketry was heard. Had they escaped
from Scylla to fall into Charybdis?