Therefore he reluctantly gave his consent that Rene should
remain behind for a short time, but charged him not to unnecessarily
expose himself to danger. Then both men embraced the lad fervently,
gave him their blessing, and departed, full of the hope of speedily
meeting with him again--a hope that was destined to be sadly deferred.
After their departure Rene again entered the tunnel and made his way
back to its inner terminus. There he cautiously drew himself up from
its mouth, crept to the edge of the building beneath which it lay, and
watched and listened for what he might discover.
He had not been there a minute when he was startled by hearing a
smothered groan close at hand. Listening attentively, he heard it
again; and feeling confident that he who uttered it must be one of his
own countrymen, he began to creep carefully, and without betraying his
presence by the slightest sound, in the direction from which it
proceeded. At length he heard a third groan, so close to him that he
instinctively drew back for fear of coming into contact with the person
who uttered it. Then, in the lightest of whispers, he inquired,
"Who is there? I am Rene de Veaux."
For answer came the whisper, "Heaven help thee, Master Rene, if thou
art in like plight with myself! I am thy old friend Simon, sorely
wounded, and with no hope save that of falling into the hands of these
fiends of Spaniards when daylight shall enable them to make a thorough
search of the premises.
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