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80 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

sides concentrated in this. The man from Elizabethgrad held Ferrari in so strong a hug that the Italian could not move his hand sufficiently to clasp the handle of his knife. The Russian's knife and revolver were on the ground only a few yards away ; the man from Elizabethgrad was trying to drag Ferrari in their direction, but Ferrari had twined his strong muscular right leg round the two heavy limbs of the other wrestler, and worked it as a rudder ; and more- over his left hand was on the throat of his assailant, and he fairly gripped the wretch's windpipe as in a vice. At the same time the man from Elizabethgrad held Ferrari with a close persistence that only had to last long enough to be fatal, for it would in time have squeezed the very life out of him.

And the thunder of the attacking party without fell upon the great door, fell upon it in measured strokes ; a veritable ringing file fire of blows, with now and then an added rush in force, that shook the timbers and drew forth grunts and screams from bolts and bars.

These sounds were like bells of hopeful song to the man from Elizabethgrad, who under their inspiration made a sudden and almost superhuman effort, as also at the same moment did Ferrari, who with the breath nearly battered out of his body recovered his knife. Feeling the handle of it within his grasp was the one touch of magic needed for his salvation. With a sense of fainting coming over him, he made a last attempt to free his right arm. He had held on to his opponent's throat, who was also getting weak from approaching suffocation. It was the supreme moment for both of them. Ferrari wrenched his arm free, clutched his knife, drew it steadily upwards, thrust it into his opponent's side, and fainted.

At the entrance to the retreat, just within the well, had stood awaiting the return of Ferrari his friend and host. Between his sighs and prayers he had heard all that had