"No, no, not a smile, not a word, unless you open the door so that I
may see el Yanko. I have never seen one in all my life--never."

A short pause, then a key turned, and the door was gently opened. Two
figures entered. A soldier and a slender girl, who clung fearfully to
his arm. They stood and looked at Ridge as he sat on his wooden stool,
and he stared back. For a moment the three gazed at one another in
silence.

Then the girl exclaimed, pettishly:

"If that is all your famous Yanko amounts to, I have already seen
enough, since he looks exactly like other men, only more ugly than
some. Come, let us go."

With this she playfully turned her companion about and pushed him from
the cell. As she did so she made a quick backward movement with her
right hand, and something fell on the straw pallet as though flung
there. A second later the door was relocked, and, with merry laughter
again echoing through the dim corridor, they were gone.

Curiously Ridge fumbled in the musty bedding until he found a small
packet enveloped in brown paper. He opened it eagerly. Inside were
two tiny steel saws, made from a watch spring, and a little tube of
oil. There was also a bit of white paper on which was writing. By
holding this close to the lamp-lighted grating. Ridge read:

"You have only till daylight. Saw out a bar and squeeze through.
Friends will await you outside. Destroy this." There was no signature.