If he don’t interfere, I’m bound to get out,” he said to himself, pluckily.
His feet were wet, of course, and this was far from comfortable.
He made a brief examination of the situation, and then decided upon his plan. The well, like most in the country, was made of a wall of stones, piled one upon another. In
parts it looked rather loose, and Tony shuddered as he thought of the possibility of the walls falling, and his being buried in the ruins.
It would be all up with me then,” he thought. “I must get out of this as soon as I can. If I can only climb up as far as the rope, I can escape.”
This, in fact, seemed to be his only chance. Using the wall as a ladder, he began cautiously to ascend. More than once he came near falling a second time, but by great exertion he finally reached the rope. He did not dare to trust to it entirely, but contrived to ascend as before, clinging to the rope with his hands. He was in constant fear that it would break a second time, but the strain upon it was not so great, and finally, much to his delight, he reached the top.
He breathed a deep sigh of relief when he found himself once more on terra firma. He looked about him cautiously, under the apprehension that Rudolph might be near by, and ready to attack him again. But, as we know, his fears were groundless.
He made sure that I was disposed of,” thought Tony. “What could have induced him to attempt my life? Can it be true, as he said, that I am heir to a fortune? Why couldn’t he tell me? I would have paid him well for the information when I got my money. Then he said he knew who I was—I care more for that than for the money.”
But Tony could not dwell upon these thoughts. The claims of duty were paramount. He must seek the horse, and go back to the hotel. He had been detained already for nearly three-quarters of an hour, and they would be wondering what had become of him.
He made his way as quickly as possible to where he had tied the horse. But he looked for him in vain. He had been untied and led away—perhaps stolen. Tony felt assured that the horse, of himself, could not leave the spot.