As the door opened and he was pushed into the room he realized that
there was excellent foundation for the impression--he immediately
recognized the apartment as the same in which he had once before
been imprisoned. At that time he had been mistaken for the mad king
who had escaped from the clutches of Peter of Blentz. The same king
was now visiting as a guest the fortress in which he had spent ten
bitter years as a prisoner.
"Say your prayers, my friend," admonished Maenck, as he was about to
leave him alone, "for at dawn you die--and this time the firing
squad will make a better job of it."
Barney did not answer him, and the captain departed, locking the
door after him and leaving two men on guard in the corridor. Alone,
Barney looked about the room. It was in no wise changed since his
former visit to it. He recalled the incidents of the hour of his
imprisonment here, thought of old Joseph who had aided his escape,
looked at the paneled fireplace, whose secret, it was evident, not
even the master of Blentz was familiar with--and grinned.
"'For at dawn you die!'" he repeated to himself, still smiling
broadly. Then he crossed quickly to the fireplace, running his
fingers along the edge of one of the large tiled panels that hid the
entrance to the well-like shaft that rose from the cellars beneath
to the towers above and which opened through similar concealed exits
upon each floor.
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