blunders.'
'I'll second that.'
'And you?' Orlov asked. 'Why are you here?'
Under the circumstances there seemed no reason to make a secret of it and Manning told him the whole story.
When he had finished, Orlov shook his head. 'Rojas is obviously determined to have his way with both of us and I should imagine his methods leave a lot to be desired.'
Manning got to his feet, went to the door and peered out into the dark corridor. He could just see the iron-barred gate that led into the gallery and light splashed under the door of Cienaga's room.
'What's the chicken wire for?'
'A prisoner jumped into the hall a couple of months ago when he was being taken for questioning. Rojas wasn't too pleased. Flogged the soldiers concerned.'
'I noticed a similar gallery on the other side of the hall. There was no wire up there.'
'That's the officers' quarters. They kept me in a room there at first. Treated me quite well until I turned awkward.'
'And this is supposed to make you see the light?'
'That's the general idea, but I'm afraid he's picked on the wrong man. My parents were killed in the war and I was a partisan fighter at fifteen. Colonel Rojas may well break his teeth on me.'
'Ever thought of getting out?'
Orlov laughed softly. 'Frequently, but it's impossible. Even if one got out of the cell there are at least four more gates to pass through, each one locked and guarded.'
'But what if one could bypass the gates?'
'I don't understand.'
Manning moved back to the bed and sat down. 'The main roof out there is held up by huge beams which are supported by a stone ledge at either end and running the full width of the hall.'
'So?'
'An active man could cross that ledge to the officers' quarters.'
'A desperate man, you mean. The ledge is perhaps nine inches wide and it's eighty feet down to those flags.'
'Would you be willing to try?'
'Certainly, but you've forgotten one small point. It would first be necessary to get out of the cell and onto the gallery. How do you suggest we accomplish this?'
'By getting Cienaga in here and relieving him of his keys.'
'But I have already told you,' Orlov said patiently. 'Cienaga never enters the cells without an armed guard and at night he is on his own. Even if we created a disturbance or started a fight to attract him, he would simply stand outside the door enjoying himself.'
'What do you think would happen to him if one of his prisoners committed suicide? One of his special prisoners?'
'Rojas would have his hide?'
'Exactly.' Manning stood up, flicked on his lighter and held it to the ceiling. 'So what would Cienaga do if he looked through that grille and saw one of us hanging from a hook up there?'
'He would come in,' the Russian answered automatically and then the implication of his words seemed to hit him and he jumped to his feet excitedly. 'By God, you've got it, Manning. As long as there was a chance of cutting the body down in time, he'd have to come in. His fear of what Rojas might do to him would drive every other thought from his head.'
'That's what I thought,' Manning said. 'I'm only worried about one thing. The noise when we jump him. He's certain to put up a fight.'
'No one will take any notice. As I said before, there are rows up here every night.'
'Okay, then,' Manning said. 'All we need now is a way of faking the thing.'
That shouldn't be too difficult. As I am smaller than you, I shall take the post of honour while you scream hysterically at the door. Let me have your belt.'
Manning gave it to him and then held up his lighter so that the Russian could work in its glow. He fastened his own belt around his waist under the armpits and then buckled Manning's through it, forming a loop which he pushed round to the back.
He grinned gaily. 'I hope to God I'm not too heavy.'
Manning grinned back. In spite of the short time they had known each other, a well-defined personality had already emerged. It was that of a brave and aggressive, physically tough man, highly
'I'll second that.'
'And you?' Orlov asked. 'Why are you here?'
Under the circumstances there seemed no reason to make a secret of it and Manning told him the whole story.
When he had finished, Orlov shook his head. 'Rojas is obviously determined to have his way with both of us and I should imagine his methods leave a lot to be desired.'
Manning got to his feet, went to the door and peered out into the dark corridor. He could just see the iron-barred gate that led into the gallery and light splashed under the door of Cienaga's room.
'What's the chicken wire for?'
'A prisoner jumped into the hall a couple of months ago when he was being taken for questioning. Rojas wasn't too pleased. Flogged the soldiers concerned.'
'I noticed a similar gallery on the other side of the hall. There was no wire up there.'
'That's the officers' quarters. They kept me in a room there at first. Treated me quite well until I turned awkward.'
'And this is supposed to make you see the light?'
'That's the general idea, but I'm afraid he's picked on the wrong man. My parents were killed in the war and I was a partisan fighter at fifteen. Colonel Rojas may well break his teeth on me.'
'Ever thought of getting out?'
Orlov laughed softly. 'Frequently, but it's impossible. Even if one got out of the cell there are at least four more gates to pass through, each one locked and guarded.'
'But what if one could bypass the gates?'
'I don't understand.'
Manning moved back to the bed and sat down. 'The main roof out there is held up by huge beams which are supported by a stone ledge at either end and running the full width of the hall.'
'So?'
'An active man could cross that ledge to the officers' quarters.'
'A desperate man, you mean. The ledge is perhaps nine inches wide and it's eighty feet down to those flags.'
'Would you be willing to try?'
'Certainly, but you've forgotten one small point. It would first be necessary to get out of the cell and onto the gallery. How do you suggest we accomplish this?'
'By getting Cienaga in here and relieving him of his keys.'
'But I have already told you,' Orlov said patiently. 'Cienaga never enters the cells without an armed guard and at night he is on his own. Even if we created a disturbance or started a fight to attract him, he would simply stand outside the door enjoying himself.'
'What do you think would happen to him if one of his prisoners committed suicide? One of his special prisoners?'
'Rojas would have his hide?'
'Exactly.' Manning stood up, flicked on his lighter and held it to the ceiling. 'So what would Cienaga do if he looked through that grille and saw one of us hanging from a hook up there?'
'He would come in,' the Russian answered automatically and then the implication of his words seemed to hit him and he jumped to his feet excitedly. 'By God, you've got it, Manning. As long as there was a chance of cutting the body down in time, he'd have to come in. His fear of what Rojas might do to him would drive every other thought from his head.'
'That's what I thought,' Manning said. 'I'm only worried about one thing. The noise when we jump him. He's certain to put up a fight.'
'No one will take any notice. As I said before, there are rows up here every night.'
'Okay, then,' Manning said. 'All we need now is a way of faking the thing.'
That shouldn't be too difficult. As I am smaller than you, I shall take the post of honour while you scream hysterically at the door. Let me have your belt.'
Manning gave it to him and then held up his lighter so that the Russian could work in its glow. He fastened his own belt around his waist under the armpits and then buckled Manning's through it, forming a loop which he pushed round to the back.
He grinned gaily. 'I hope to God I'm not too heavy.'
Manning grinned back. In spite of the short time they had known each other, a well-defined personality had already emerged. It was that of a brave and aggressive, physically tough man, highly
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