Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigands of Greece Part 21

"Ah, you do not know him, sir, as well as I do."

"Perhaps not; but it might just be possible that he is in league with some of his comrades outside."

The governor smiled incredulously.

"Impossible."

"What if that scoundrel, Tomaso, of whom we were speaking, should be at work?"

The prisoner's eyes glistened at this word.

A slight flash of intelligence pa.s.sed between the prisoner and the visitor.

It was but momentary, and so slight as to be utterly un.o.bserved by either the gaoler or the governor.

"And if such could be the case, sir, what could he possibly do, eh?

What on earth, that's what I ask."

"There's no saying."

"Indeed you're right."

"Only he ought to be well guarded when you change him from one prison to another, or--"

"Stop, stop, my dear sir, why change him? He will never leave this place alive," said the governor.

"Never?"

"Never!"

"But surely you don't keep your prisoners all confined in these stifling places?"

"We do, though."

"And never let them breathe the air? Why, it is torture."

"They do breathe the air. At noon every day they are allowed to walk for an hour in the prison yard."

"At noon?"

"At noon."

The visitor fixed his eyes strangely upon the prisoner.

"Very good; if I may be allowed to trespa.s.s again, I should like to see how this fellow bears himself in the yard amongst his fellow-criminals."

"By all means."

"I'll come, then, at noon."

At noon next day the German traveller was as good as his word.

The governor, full of his wonted courtesy, accompanied him to the yard, where all the prisoners were walking round two and two.

Some of the more desperate men were fastened by a single handcuff to the wrist of another man--a warder.

Of this category was the brigand Mathias.

His companion was a huge fellow, who topped him by a head and shoulders, and their wrists were linked securely together by a strong-- if slender--pair of handcuffs.

The visitor's countenance fell when he observed this.

It upset all his plans at one fell swoop.

However, he did not utterly despair, but made an effort to get over the difficulty.

"Your excellency," said he, "this is indeed cruel."

"What," demanded the governor, "fastening them to the gaoler?"

"Yes."

"I only order it in special cases, such as that of Mathias."

"He is then very dangerous?"

"Well, I scarcely believe that, only such precautions are the established rules."

"I regret that."

"Why?"

"Partly on the score of humanity," was the reply.

"Ah, you would be too tender-hearted," said the governor.

"No. But I also regret it because I hoped to see the brigand more like he appears when not under restraint. I suppose you would not like to set him free?"

The governor shook his head.

"That is against custom, and I should really not like to do it."

The visitor reflected a moment as they walked on.

He could not abandon his scheme now that he had gone so far.