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here, the alarm will be raised, after which they may think to look into the
neighbouring cell and find that empty as well, and a hue and cry will be
raised, and we will all be caught within a mile of the gates. If, however, I
remain here, and perform my act, and return to my cell until morning, no one
will look next door until O Hara s breakfast tray goes unclaimed. That will
give you six hours to make the border, an easy matter even though you shall
have to carry him every step of the way. You can return for me at another
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time, or wait for the maharaja to tire of my paltry tricks and turn me loose,
which I estimate will happen in another two or three days. You have six
minutes.
Holmes, don t be ridiculous. I m not leaving you hostage.
Russell, understand this: I am not a hostage. O Hara is political, I am mild
entertainment. A world of difference. The maharaja only put me under key in
the first place because I slipped away from him in the city, and he was irked.
That was a week ago. If the magician vanished overnight, they might send word
out for him, but if he was not to be found, no one would bother further unless
he took O Hara with him. But if they find O Hara missing and the so-called
magician still locked inside, what harm will come? They will question me as to
what I heard in the night, and I will tell them I heard men speaking, and men
moving, and then my dinner came. Yes, the other prisoner disappeared, but what
of it? I did not know him, I have never spoken to him, so far as they know.
The Morse tappings through our wall were things unheard ten feet away. Five
minutes.
Stop it!
He relented, so far as he could, stepping forward to take my head in his
hands. Russell, once, once only, I was taken and suffered for it. Please, my
dear wife, believe me, this is not the same situation. If you want O Hara
free, you and Nesbit must take him and leave me. I will drug Sanji tomorrow
night and slip away one man, alone and unencumbered. If I have not shown up in
Hijarkot inside the week, come back. Please, believe me: I shall be safe.
After all, as a last resort I need only stand up and declare myself an English
citizen to be made invulnerable.
I turned, reluctantly, to consult with Nesbit.
The blond head nodded. It s true. A public declaration like that, Jimmy d be
furious, but I can t imagine he d dare take it further.
A weight far greater than that of Kimball O Hara settled over me. I turned
back to Holmes and hissed, If you re wrong, I shall be extremely angry with
you. Then I kissed him hard on the lips, more threat than affection, and let
him step back into his cell.
Before the door shut on him, he stuck his head back, his hand on the slim
line of hair on his upper lip. However, Russ? I think that, all in all, given
the choice, I prefer you with the hair and without the moustache.
Suddenly the light in the hall-way shifted as the oil flames ducked and
fluttered: A lower door had opened. Aware of Nesbit apologetically slinging
O Hara across his shoulders, I made haste to lock Holmes door, then that of
the other cell, before dropping the keys back into the tin box and scurrying
away on Nesbit s heels.
Our nice, smooth rescue operation had turned into something out of a Gilbert
and Sullivan operetta, thanks to two hugely reluctant prisoners. Why could
nothing in this damnable country be simple?
We had to usethe distraction of small stones to make our escape through the
gates, but both guards behaved as the first set had, and went to investigate
the rattles, allowing us ample time to gain the road outside. Carrying our
burden, however, we could not take a short-cut down the hillside, but were
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forced to keep to the paved surface, and made the main road seconds before the
sound of marching feet rang out from the New Fort gates high above us. Six
guards started down the hill to fetch the magician for his midnight rendezvous
with the maharaja. We huddled behind a heap of stones and waited for them to
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