Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-02-16

palace until Mahmoud has performed his
mission
Ii Ben Abbas had thought of intercept
lng tue kings messenger, he was prevent
eo now, and be folded his arms across his
breast as Mahmoud left the hall.
Let US, while the messenger is on his
way. look into the prison, and that we NAV
the better understand things that transpii-
red, we will 60 back few hours and take
our view by daylight.
In one of the strongest dungeons, but
one to which considerable light was admit
ted, sat Abdalla He was firmly chained,
but yet be had good scope for exercise,
He now sat upon the stone which served
him for seat, and his face was bowed to-
wards the floor. His hands were clasped
together, and his lips moved with sort
of halfuttered prayer He was calm, but
yet sorrow and suffering were traced in
every lineament of his countenance. He
seemed as one who looked hourly for
death, and who had made up his mind to
meet the king of terrors calmly There
might have been some rays of hope in his
countenance, but they were so dim as not
to be easily distinguished.
In the lower dungeon, where last we
saw them, sat Charles of Leon and his
esquire The former seemed to have
been not long aroused from slumber.-
The aperture at the top of the wall ad-
mltted light enough to enable the inmates
to distinguish objects plainly about them.
and Charles had discovered all that Pedro
had previously spoken of The deep
stains of blood were over the hoor-the
apparatus was there for binding prisoners
for the death-stroke, and the trap-door.
too. was easily distinguished
y master said Pedro, you have en-
Joyed good long sleep.
~, and by my soul, Pedro, had a
wonderfully pleasant dream for such a
place of sleep as this
That may be good omen, for 1 some
times believe in dreams
Especially when they are pleasant ones,
[ suppose.
Nay, not so, my master. wouldn't
refuse to believe in a right pleasant dream.
but my good old mother always learned
me particularly to believe in all the bad
ones and, if [ mistake not, she had
wretched ending for all the good ones.
That would be hard, Pedro
so ii would but while you have been
dreaming sir Charles, have been at work.
Look at that !!
As Pedro spoke he arose from his seat
and walked freely across the dungeon
What means that. Pedro p uttered the
knight. in astonshment
Simply that they didn't discover my
case of instruments. l have them all
here, and you see how they have served
me-
But there can be no such thing as es-
cape. even if we get rid of our irons, said
Charles
There can be no such thing as escape
acath our irons returned Pedro so let's
have them of, and then we shall be ready
tor the first chance, And let me tell you
one more thing we are put here to die
there is no doubt about that Now if we
have our irons free we may use them to
advantage. Not more than one man can
enter our dungeon at time, and we can
sell our lives dearly at all events But
there may be a chance for escape Sup
pose we arc visited by night; we can
knock down the keeper, aud perhaps make
our way out
1 understand you, Pedro said Charles.
with slight tinge of hope in his tone
Then you must take this saw and clear
my hands. l worked upon my feet very
easily, but you see cannot work around
my wrists. Separate these bolts, and then
III have you free in a twinkling'
The knight took the keen instrument
from the hands of his esquire, and ere
long the bolts that held the manacles up-
on Pedro's hands were cut off, and the
faithful fellow was at liberty so far as
irons were concerned
| Now. my good master, hold you still
few moments, and your limbs shall be re-
lieved from those ugly trimmings
AS the esquire thus spoke he knelt
down and commenced operations His
tongue kept pace with his hands; and if
the humble follower had not SO much of
lion bravery in his composition as had his
master, he had at least more shrewGness
and cunning, and rather more of patience
under difficulties.
| There uttered Pedro, as his master
was clear from his shackles, now we are
ready for visitors. Suppose, for the Gu
riosity Of the thing. we raise this trap
door.
! Charles agreed to the proposal, and both
of the meu laid their hands to the task
The ring affixed to the slab was large
one, and there was plenty of room for both
of them to obtain a hold.
Slowly the heavy stone slab was raised
from its place. The Christians bent over
the place, but they started quickly back
They had gazed only into a dark abyss
from which came forth a cold nosome
stencil almost overpowering. 1t was tue
malaria of decaying flesh
tered Charles. BY heavens, we shall die
with the poisonous vapor.'
| It's strange place. murmured Pedro
as he helped his master replace the slab
/ i saw such one at Cordova: and | saw
human beings thrown into it. too. San
Dominic. but there's time of trial COM
| ing
! Charles made no answer to Pedro's re-
, mark, but gazed upon the stone he had
| lifted There was a cold shudder ran
through his frame, but when it nassed a