A hoarse laugh broke upon his dinning ears, the leering faces drew nearer; and then, as everything went black, a heavy, yet merciful blow fell upon his head.

As consciousness left him, he felt himself rushing dizzily upward, grasped by powerful hands and whisked through the opening into air so hot and stiffling that his last thought was of the fires of Hell.
Not many minutes passed before consciousness, which had been but partially lost, returned to him.

The ringing sensation remained in his head, but he was no longer choking.

The noose had been removed from his neck; the rope itself was now serving as a bond for his hands and feet, a fact that impressed itself upon him when he tried to rise.

For some time he lay perfectly still, urging his senses into play: wondering where he was and what had happened to him.
It was pitch dark and the air was hot and close.