Page:Ossendowski - From President to Prison.djvu/115

Rh never leaves a man born in the mountains of the Caucasus.

"Will you come out or are we to bury you, because it pleases us so to do?" I queried.

After a short interval of silence the voice sounded nearer.

"Will you allow us to go free or will you arrest us? If you seek to arrest us, we shall ourselves blow up the mine."

"Evidently you have deserved prison," I observed.

"No-o-o," drawled he, "but there have been misunderstandings"; and again I detected the note of mirth in the voice of the Georgian.

"If you will leave your arms in the gallery and will not make trouble, you can go to the four winds, so far as we are concerned."

"Then we shall come out."

"I know that a Georgian can be true to his word," I shouted back to him, "and consequently I shall trust you."

We held our rifles in readiness and waited. After several minutes there appeared from a hole among the rocks a head in a little, black sheep-skin cap, surveyed us from its piercing eyes and bobbed back again.

"Why are you carrying carbines?" came from the retiring head.

"Come out, or I shall blow up the shaft," I replied sharply.

"You are a peppery individual," answered the Georgian. "Well, we have no choice. Perhaps you will be true to your promise."

One after another seven men emerged from the mouth of the gallery. Tall, thin, dressed in tight-fitting black coats with leather belts ornamented in silver, they made