eaven, my fellow citizens.
Already I see in your glorious faces that you behold the duty. Then
forward, patriots! To the plaza, and let us tear down, let us destroy by
fire, let us annihilate the statue of the dastard Megales which defaces
our fair city. Citizens, to your patriotic duty!"

Another wild yell rang skyward, and at once the fringes of the crowd
began to vanish plazaward, its centre began to heave, its flanks to
stir. Three minutes later the grounds of the palace were again dark and
empty. The Irishman's oratory had won the day.

CHAPTER 15. IN THE SECRET CHAMBER

The escaping party groped its way along the passage in the wall, down a
rough, narrow flight of stone steps to a second tunnel, and along this
underground way for several hundred yards. Since he was the only one
familiar with the path they were traversing, the governor took the lead
and guided the others. At a distance of perhaps an eighth of a mile from
the palace the tunnel forked. Without hesitation, Megales kept to the
right. A stone's throw beyond this point of divergence there began to
be apparent a perceptible descent which terminated in a stone wall that
blocked completely the way.

Megales reached up and put his weight on a rope suspended from the roof.
Slowly the solid masonry swung on a pivot, leaving room on either side
for a person to squeeze through. The governor found it a tight fit, as
did also Gabilonda.

"I was more slender last time I passed through there. It has been
several years since then," said the governor, giving his daughter a hand
to assist her through.

They found themselves in a small chamber fitted up as a living room in
a simple way. There were three plain chairs, a bed, a table, and a
dresser, as well as a cooking stove.

"This must be close to the prison. We have been coming in that direction
all the time. It is strange that it could be so near and I not know of
it," said the warden, looking around curiously.

Megales smiled. "I am the only person alive that knew of the existence
of this room or of the secret passage until half an hour ago. I had it
built a few years since by Yaquis when I was warden of the prison.
The other end, the one opening from the palace, I had finished after I
became governor."

"But surely the men who built it know of its existence."

Again Megales smiled. "I thought you knew me better, Carlo. The Yaquis
who built this were condemned raiders. I postponed their execution a