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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"Or, The Beginnings of an Empire"

It was a room of fair size, in a tower on one of the angles
of the walls. It had bars, but these did not prevent those behind them
looking out at the country which stretched around. The governor of the
prison, finding that Charlie spoke the language fluently, often came
up to sit with him, conversing with him on the affairs of that unknown
country, England.
Altogether, they were fairly treated. Their food was plentiful and,
beyond their captivity, they had little to complain of. Over and over
again, they talked about the possibilities of effecting an escape;
but, on entering the prison, they had noticed how good was the watch,
how many and strong the doors through which they had passed. They had
meditated upon making a rope and escaping from the window; but they
slept on the divan, each with a rug to cover them; and these, torn
into strips and twisted, would not reach a quarter of the way from
their window to the ground; and there was no other material of which a
rope could possibly have been formed.
"Our only hope," Charlie said one day, "is in Hossein. I am sure he
will follow us to the death; and if he did but know where we are
confined, he would not, I am certain, rest day or night, till he had
opened a communication with us.


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