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"Not for a world of chrysolite!" said I, horrifiedShe took ht whilst she went on:

"Dear, I know, I know!Be satisfiedBut it is the only wayYou can,I know, get there, and in the darkBut if you were to go in it, itwould give warning to the enemies, and besides, my father would notunderstandRemember, he does not know you; he has never seen you, anddoes not, I suppose, even know as yet of your existenceBut he wouldknow e to lower me into theTower by a rope from the aeroplaneThe Turks as yet do not know of ourpursuit, and doubtless rely, at all events in part, on the strength andsecurity of the TowerTherefore their guard will be less active than itwould at first or later onI shall post father in all details, and weshall be ready quicklyNow, dear, let us think out the schenorance, and we shall save myfather!"

How could I have resisted such pleading--even had it not seemed wise?But wise it was; and I, who knehat the aeroplane could do under uidance, saw at once the practicalities of the sche should go wrongBut we are atpresent living in a world of risks--and her father's life was at stakeSo I took my dear wife in my arms, and told her that my mind was hers forthis, asthatI thought it ht be done

I sent for Rooke, and told hireedwith me in the wisdooand interview the Captain of the Turkish warship in theto see the Vladika," I said"He will lead ourown troops in the attack on the Silent TowerBut it will rest with youto deal with the warshipAsk the Captain to whosHe is sure to refuse to tellIn such case , his vessel is a pirate ship, and thatyou, who are in command of the navy of the Blue Mountains, will deal withhim as a pirate is dealt with--no quarter, no mercyHe will teet serious with him he willland a force, or try to, and may even prepare to shell the townHe willthreaten to, at any rateIn such case deal with him as you think best,or as near to it as you can"He answered:

"I shall carry out your wishes withof that sort would ever stand in my wayIf he attacksour nation, either as a Turk or a pirate, I shall wipe him outWe shallsee what our own little packet can doMoreover, any of the marauderswho have entered the Blue Mountains, froet out by sea!I take it that we ofpartyIt will be a sorry ti you and the Voivodin; for in such case we shallunderstand the worst!"Iron as he was, the man trembled

"That is so, Rooke," I said"We are taking a desperate chance, we knowBut the case is desperate!But we all have our duty to do, whateverhappensOurs and yours is stern; but e have done it, the resultwill be that life will be easier for others--for those that are left"

Before he left, I asked him to send up to me three suits of the Mastermanbullet-proof clothes of which we had a supply on the yacht

"Two are for the Voivodin and myself," I said; "the third is for theVoivode to put onThe Voivodin will take it with her when she descendsfrom the aeroplane into the Tower"

Whilst any daylight was left I went out to survey the groundMy anted to come with me, but I would not let her"No," said I; "you willhave at the best a fearful tax on your strength and your nervesYouant to be as fresh as is possible when you get on the aeroplane"Like a good wife, she obeyed, and lay down to rest in the little tentprovided for her

I took with round, and as trusted to besilentWe ot as near the Silent Toweras we could without being noticedI ood notice of anything that could possibly serve asa landot hoo well I could easily sail over the Tower in the darkThenI had a talk with ave her full instructions:

"When we arrive over the Tower," I said, "I shall lower you with a longropeYou will have a parcel of food and spirit for your father in casehe is fatigued or faint; and, of course, the bullet-proof suit, which hemust put on at onceYou will also have a short rope with a belt ateither end--one for your father, the other for youWhen I turn theaeroplane and co which liesmidway between the beltsThis you will catch into the hook at the endof the lowered ropeWhen all is secure, and I have pulled you both upby the windlass so as to clear the top, I shall throw out ballast e shall carry on purpose, and ae go!I am sorry it must be souncoet wellclear of the Tower, I shall take you both up on the platformIfnecessary, I shall descend to do it--and then we shall steer for Ilsin"

"When all is safe, our men will attack the TowerWe must let them doit, for they expect itA few men in the clothes and arms which we tookfrom your captors will be pursued by soedThey will ask the Turks to admit them, and if the latter have not learnedof your father's escape, perhaps they will do soOnce in, our ainst thehtingIf they win out, greatglory will be theirs"

"The ht, so we haveplenty of timeWe shall start from here at tenIf all be well, Ishall place you in the Toith your father in less than a quarter-hourfrom thatA few et on his beltI shall not be away fro before eleven we shall be safeThen theTower can be won in an attack by our uns are heard on the ship of war--for there is sure to be firing--theCaptain may try to land a shore partyBut Rooke will stand in the way,and if I know the man and _The Lady_, we shall not be troubled with ht you and your father can be on the way toVissarionI can interview the naval Captain in the "

My wife's e and self-possession stood to herAt halfan hour before the time fixed she was ready for our adventureShe hadimproved the scheme in one detailShe had put on her own belt andcoiled the rope round her waist, so the only delay would be in bringingher father's beltShe would keep the bullet-proof dress intended to behis strapped in a packet on her back, so that if occasion should befavourable he would not want to put it on till he and she should havereached the platform of the aeroplaneIn such case, I should not steeraway from the Tower at all, but would pass slowly across it and take upthe captive and his brave daughter before leavingI had learned fromlocal sources that the Toas in several storiesEntrance was by thefoot, where the great iron-clad door was; then cae, and an open space at the topThis would probably be thoughtthe best place for the prisoner, for it was deep-sunk within the massivewalls, wherein was no loophole of any kindThis, if it should sohappen, would be the disposition of things best for our planThe guardswould at this ti, ht notice the coht turn out so well, for insuch case our task would be a sih one, and would in all humanprobability be croith success

At ten o'clock we startedTeuta did not show the sn of fearor even uneasin