Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/263

WE ORGANIZE A SORTIE The possibilities of murder lurked at every step, and while I was not truly afraid, I felt my flesh creep at the thought, and took precaution to light the lantern the instant I was safe at the foot of the ladder. Holding it well in advance yet not so as to blind my eyes, I hurried forward, watchful of the shadows, but with mind busy with details of the coming attempt at escape. Here certainly lay our only chance of getting away. If we delayed until after daylight, and Theilen's command arrived meanwhile we would be caught like rats in a trap. But if we could manage to strike Dodd's scattered followers from the rear, surprising them by suddenness of attack, we might succeed in breaking away, and, by swift marching, attain our own lines in safety. This plan offered a fighting chance, at least, and the more I studied it, the stronger became its appeal. I knew fairly well the physical surroundings without, where Dodd's men were posted, the points for concealment, and the straight road leading out of the valley. If my little band of troopers would only fight—and I had small doubt as to that—there could be little question as to results, provided only we struck before reinforcements arrived.

My passage was unobstructed, and I arrived at the bottom of the ladder stairs, having seen nothing but the bare stone walls, and the hard-packed earth floor, reflected by the yellow glow of the lantern. But at the top I met with a surprise which left me staring blindly, for the moment distrusting my own eyes: there was no opening into the hall! The mantel had been swung back into place, leaving me fronting an apparently solid wall. [ 249 ]