A DASH FOR LIBERTY
"You are right, Helmar," he said, slowly. "I have another object in
coming here." He paused for a moment, impatiently tugging at the
fringe of his sash. "You remember I asked you at Port Said about
joining Arabi?"
"I do--what about it?" said George, in tones of supreme
indifference.
"That offer was made with the best of feeling towards you, and, as I
thought, for your good. It would have brought you wealth, as it has
me."
"And very nice comfortable means you adopted to attain my
conversion, didn't you?" broke in Helmar, with upraised eyebrows.
"Well, perhaps the treatment was a little rough, but the intention
was, nevertheless, sincere."
"Doubtless. Go on."
"Well," Mark went on, with eyes looking anywhere but at the man in
front of him, "at that time I thought that Arabi would be bound to
win the day, and _we_," with emphasis on the word, "should be made
for life. But I was mistaken, and now it is plain to me that Arabi
must fall."
Again he paused, as if waiting for comment from his companion, but
none came, and he nervously continued, while Helmar kept his keen
eyes fixed upon him.
"Of course I've made a pile of money," he went on, with a leer, "so
that now I've only to get out of the country when the crash comes,
and I can do anything I wish."
"Ah!" ejaculated Helmar, beginning to see through this man's
scheming. "And you would get some one to help you do that, eh?" he
added, unable to conceal his contempt, as he realized the sneaking
character of this villain.
"Not necessarily," replied Arden, coldly. "I have in no way appeared
in this Rebellion, and, therefore, nothing can be traced to my
handiwork. The British cannot accuse me of having taken any part in
the affair, and there is no one who can inform them of my share in
it."
"But I could," said George sharply.
Arden smiled indulgently. He had no fear of Helmar; he considered
him in his power.
"You cannot harm me, for you will never leave this place alive,
unless--unless I choose."
"Well," said George, "granting that, what, then, do you propose?
What is all this talk leading up to?"
"You, as you say, are the only man who is aware of the part I have
played in this affair, except, perhaps, some of the men immediately
under my control. Therefore I need not fear; but I should like to
make doubly sure of my position against any accident. Although I can
see no possibility of my share being known, I do not want to run any
chances. Now, if I were to allow you to escape, I should have done
you a good turn, for which, I have no doubt, you would be glad to
make some return. This could be done by your statement to the
British authorities of the assistance which I shall give you. Do you
understand?"
"Yes; go on. Is that all?" And Helmar leant back in his chair,
keenly listening for the sign from Naoum's agent.
"Yes, that is all. I offer you your release, with no possibility of
re-capture or bodily harm, in return for which you will have to
secure me immunity from the consequences of the part I have taken in
the Rebellion. And a very fair offer I consider it, seeing that
without my assistance you can never get away!"
As he ceased speaking George noted a slightly anxious expression on
the man's face, but he said nothing. Waiting for a moment to see if
Arden had anything further to say before he replied, he fancied he
heard a light footfall outside the door. As his companion offered
nothing further, he rose to his feet, and, with flashing eyes, gave
him his answer.
"So, Mark Arden, you would again play the part of tempter, even in
your last extremity, for notwithstanding your assertion to the
contrary, I know that to be the state you are in. You cannot be
other than a villain, you cannot even stand alone in your villainy,
but must attempt to draw others into it. You try, with cunning
purpose, to save yourself by forcing me, who have never done you
harm, to become a participator in your crimes. You bid me lie to
save you, you who have persecuted me from the moment of our meeting
at Port Said until now, when you hold the threat of your vengeance
over my head as an alternative to the non-compliance with your
wishes. You dare to ask my assistance after the inhuman flogging you
caused to be given me! You dare even to face me after such
treatment! Liar! cheat! scoundrel that you are, I will be no party
to your villainies! I have managed, with the help of those who are
good and true, to save myself from the fate you would have wished
for me. I have escaped from your toils thus far, I will now dare you
to do your worst. If I am to die this time, it shall be fighting; no
more imprisonment will I submit to, and least of all at your hands.
Go!" he cried, his voice rising in anger, "go and call your guards!
Bid them do the deed that you are too cowardly to perpetrate
yourself! I care not that much for your power!" and he snapped his
fingers in the air.
While he was still speaking Helmar had heard the scratching at the
door--the signal was given. He now only waited for Arden to go and
carry out his threat to call his guards. During his tirade the
villain's face had shown the sneer so habitual to him, but, as
Helmar's words gradually struck home, his expression changed to one
of rage, and, as George ceased, Arden sprang up, and shaking his
fist in his face, cried--
"You shall never live to see daylight! You have dared me to do this
deed, and I will see that it is carried out! You have flouted my
generosity and defied me, then your blood shall be on your own
head," and striding to the wall, he disappeared through the secret
door.
Helmar waited for the door to slam behind his retreating enemy, and
then, dashing out into the passage, ran swiftly down it. A few
moments sufficed to bring him to the door Naoum had told him of, and
without hesitation he pushed it open and entered the room. As he
passed in he heard the sound of the approaching guard, with Arden's
voice excitedly urging them on.
He closed the door after him immediately, and as he did so he heard
a voice close beside him from out of the darkness in which he found
himself.
"Amman!" it said quickly.
"Allah is good!" replied George, without hesitation.
"And ever watchful!" was the instantaneous response.
Then, without another word, George felt himself seized by the arm,
and unresistingly allowed himself to be led whither his guide
pleased. A few steps, and the voice said--
"Bend low."
George complied, and passed through a narrow doorway. As he did so,
he heard the door of the room he was leaving open and the guard rush
in. The same instant the secret door, by which he was escaping,
silently closed and the lock snapped to. No sooner had this occurred
than his guide struck a light, and he found himself at the head of a
flight of tiny, narrow, stone steps. Hurriedly they descended these,
which seemed unending, and, before they reached the bottom, Helmar
concluded they had passed down several hundreds of them.
The atmosphere became very damp and rank, all sound from above had
died away, and for a while, at least, George thought they were safe.
At the bottom they came to an earthen passage; along this they ran,
the light from his guide's torch steering them through the many
obstacles this apparently ancient and decayed passage presented. It
was a weird flight, the ruddy glow on the broken and uneven walls
and roof made the place very ghostly, while the flapping, whirring
little bats shooting past their heads, often flying blindly into
their faces, gave George a creepy sensation that was anything but
pleasant.
At last they came to the end of the passage, and another flight of
stone steps presented itself; this time they had to ascend. Half-way
up they came to a solid stone wall, the sight of which filled George
with dismay, but the guide, with perfectly assured action, stooped
and in a moment touched a spring, and the solid mass revolved on a
pivot, disclosing more steps. They passed through the opening, and
the stone swung back into its original position as they hurried up
the steps.
"We are quite safe from pursuit now," said the guide. "They cannot
move that stone; only three persons know its secret--Naoum, Mariam,
and I. We have nothing to fear until we reach the open air."
"When will that be?" asked Helmar, glad to think that they would at
last leave this underground passage.
"At the top of these steps," replied the guide. "Then we shall have
to reach a postern in the wall of the grounds. That is our greatest
danger."
A few moments later they reached the end of the steps. A small
wooden trap formed the outlet to this place. The guide raised it and
looked out, then cautiously pushed his way up through it, and
assisted Helmar to do the same; the trap was then replaced. As soon
as he reached the open air George turned to see what outward sign of
its presence the trap gave, and was surprised to see none. It was
covered with a thin layer of soil, and, when replaced in its
setting, a few scrapings of his guide's foot sufficed to obliterate
all traces of it.
The place in which they now found themselves was the centre of a
thick shrubbery, and before leaving it the guide went to
reconnoitre. Presently he came back, having satisfied himself that
the coast was clear.
"There is no sign of the guards," he explained, "but they cannot, I
know, be far off. Come, we must run for it. There is no doubt that
where they are, Naoum's men will be watching to help us."
Emerging from the thicket, the guide, followed by George, dashed
across the open gardens towards another cluster of bushes. The night
was one of supreme loveliness, the moon was up, and, though only in
its first quarter, shone brilliantly. This was one of the dangers of
their journey, but, even so, it assisted them as well, for if it was
likely to betray the fugitives, it would also warn them of the
approach of the enemy.
As they ran across the open, George could see the palace some
distance off. The whole place was lit up, and the flashing lights
warned him that his escape had brought about this activity so late
at night.
At last they reached the thicket, and were congratulating themselves
on their success when suddenly the guide seized Helmar's arm, and
dragged him down under a bush.
"Hist! there is some one near us! Listen!"
George could not hear a sound, but the sharp ears of his guide had
detected something which caused him alarm. Crouching down beneath
the bush, they waited in silence; then, as nothing further occurred,
the guide cautiously crept out and again listened. Apparently
satisfied that the intruder, whoever he was, had gone, he signed to
George, who immediately joined him.
Together they made their way stealthily to the outskirts of the
bush, and prepared to make their final dash for the wall, which they
now saw before them.
"It seems all right," said George in a whisper. "I can hear
nothing."
"Yes," replied the guide slowly. "I think we are yet safe; Allah is
with us. Yonder is the wall, and the gate is opposite us. The gate
is an old one that has not been used for years. The guards will not
think of it, for it has been heavily secured with bolts. But Naoum
has had them removed to-night, and, in case of accidents, his men
are stationed in hiding near by. Come!"
They were just about to rush across the intervening space to the
wall, when, without the slightest warning, a small, dark figure
sprang up at their very feet and barred the way. So sudden was the
apparition that George almost fancied the figure had sprung out of
the ground.
Quickly drawing back from the long, gleaming knife that flashed
before their eyes, George and his guide stood for a second
irresolute. The stranger at once spoke.
"Ha! you thought to escape, did you? You forgot that Abdu was still
in Cairo. No, you don't, my friend; we will have you bowstrung at
daylight."
Helmar made a dart at the little man. He saw in this one untoward
incident the loss of all Naoum had planned for; he saw his liberty
already slipping away from him, and the thoughts of Arden's
villainous intent spurred him on. There was yet time; no alarm had
been given. As he sprang forward, Abdu, with the agility of an ape,
sprang out of reach, and, setting his fingers in his mouth, gave one
prolonged whistle. Immediately it was answered in every direction.
All hope now seemed to be gone, and the two men prepared to fight to
the end; his guide passed Helmar a long knife, and they backed up to
a tree. Help, however, was nearer than they had expected.
Hardly had they taken up their position, when, with the sound of
hurrying footsteps, came a long-drawn, hissing sound through the
air. Before they had time to even conjecture its cause, they saw a
knife strike Abdu in the breast, and he fell to the ground with a
moan, the weapon still quivering in his body with the force of its
flight.
Without waiting for anything further, the guide beckoned to his
companion, and the two dashed for the wall. Directly they reached
the open, they saw hurrying figures on all sides, who, the moment
the fugitives appeared, set up a howl and gave chase.
George and his companion had a fair start of them, and, provided
there was no delay at the postern, a chance of escape.
Running with all possible speed, they reached the gate in a few
seconds--it was closed. Again their position seemed hopeless; but
again, to their joy, Naoum's power was evidenced, and at their
approach the gate was thrown open as if by magic.
Once outside, they found Belbeis waiting with three horses, ready
saddled. They mounted in an instant, and, as the pursuing guards
dashed through the gate, all three started away at a gallop.