It was useless to hope they could escape from the whole result of this unfortunate discovery, for the captain of the guard and his attendant had kept up a constant bawling as they stumbled and threshed along, so if under the impression that an enemy chased hard upon their heels with naked swords, ready to impale them thereon. Of course this must ere now have placed every guard along the ramparts on the alert, and the chances of the fugitives getting out of the fortress in safety were scant indeed. "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady," as Roderic well knew, and he was one of those men who, having sallied forth to accomplish a given object, allow no obstacle to prevent them from attaining that end, so long as a sturdy arm can prevail. He never magnified evils that cast their ugly shadows before, while at the same time it was not his principle to under estimate a foe. At length they drew near the breach in the wall, which had offered Roderic such friendly assistance when entering the fortress of San Juan. He had not forgotten the two sentries to whose interesting remarks he had listened as he crouched there in the dark aperture under their feet. He could see them plainly standing there in an expectant attitude, as though under the belief that an attack of some sort was coming, for in no other way could they account for the loud shouts borne to their ears. It was a case necessitating heroic treatment. Roderic knew that nothing could be gained by delay and that the demoralization of the guards was what would be to their best advantage. He crawled in advance of the others and deliberately opened fire upon the two men. It was his intention to wound rather than slay, but he had life and liberty at stake, and could not be blamed if he sent in the shots thick and fast. The way must be cleared and those fellows above held it in their power to prevent an escape, since they controlled the only exit with which he was acquainted. Nor was the bombardment all one sided. The first sentry was struck in the leg, and dropping his Mauser rifle he went hobbling away, bellowing as lustily as a calf; but his comrade was made of better stuff, and at once opened fire in the quarter from whence the shots came. This was serious enough, for one of the steel clad bullets, even while missing Roderic might glance from some stone and do damage beyond. So the American forgot that he had intended to simply wound, and began firing point blank, in the hope of downing the Spaniard before he could do any damage. He was rejoiced then to see the man suddenly stagger back, raise his weapon half way to his shoulder, fire a last shot; and then gun and sentry fell on the rampart together. The way was open! It had been cleared at heavy cost--just how heavy Roderic did not even suspect at the time. "Come," he said, huskily, "over the wall and down to safety--it is our only hope!"