rned to leave, and
then, exchanging a look of intelligence with his prisoner, he joined
the other guard and the two men went out. The door was closed and
securely bolted.

Left to himself, Helmar surveyed his prison. There was not a
particle of furniture in the place, and the only means of light and
fresh air entering was through a small, narrow, heavily-barred
window. George looked at this with thoughts of escape in his mind,
but the prospect was dim and uninviting; even if the bars could be
removed he doubted the possibility of forcing himself through the
aperture. He next turned his attention to the floor; it was the
rough earth covered with filth; portions of food lay about in a
rotting condition. The smell that emanated from them nearly made him
sick. With feelings of despair he wondered how long he was to be
confined in the loathsome hole.

Selecting a spot somewhat cleaner than the rest, he was about to
seat himself, when happening to glance more closely, he sprang back
with a horrified exclamation. Again he looked at the window and
again he turned away in despair.

Night had closed in, and George made up his mind to a night of
wakefulness rather than seat himself on that filthy ground. Round
and round, backwards and forwards, he walked, wondering when some
one would come who could give him something to sit upon.

Hours passed, but no one came. The time dragged so slowly that the
night seemed never-ending. He began to feel hungry in spite of his
sickening surroundings, and with his hunger came vain imaginings. He
pictured all sorts of horrible torturings to which his savage
captors might subject him. He wondered if he would be beheaded, or
whether he would be shot; he would much prefer the latter, it seemed
a cleaner way of dying and more in keeping with his calling. He
laughed, as he pictured the rebels aiming at him and repeatedly
missing their target, through bad marksmanship. Then he began to
wonder what his companions would say when they heard of his end.

He stopped in front of the window and looked up at the sky. He
stretched his arms and took hold of the two iron bars and shook them
repeatedly, but they seemed quite firm and immovable. Several times
he tried them, but each attempt left him more convinced than before
that efforts in this direction were futile.

At last, utterly worn out and sick at heart, he leant against the
wall and involuntarily his eyes closed; several times, as he dozed
off,