The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-05-11

dropped into The liUos mouth had
caused their arrest. and their trialles
deteotion in the under7grouod-or
rather Neutrality-suspicious. Of the
Sereuinima.
But then, Who cvuld have denouuc.
d him? Who could have a inter.
Ct in destroying him in this cowardly
fashion! All the people be knew
wers shove suspicion and yet even
the Serenissims would not have Ar
rested IN Englishman. . kings mes.
senger. without some gOod reason. In
that dreadful silence, beoken ooly BY
the FLASHING Of the water % the stone
walls 10 which he was imprisoned. bic
memory was particularly vivid and
recalled TO his mind oil the incidents
Of his stay. At last he remembered
those few hot foolish w,rds he bad
used that very night they. and
they slone, could he the cause Of bis
present condition. This, however.
brought 10 relief: it aggravated ouly
his iean and bis despondency. since
he veil knew what awful Puuishments
wore inflicted ON those who. to use
the Venetian phrase. ''blasphemesi
the government.
Having settled the cause Of HE Ar
rested. he gradually fell into . dull.
drowsy state of half inconsistencies.
staring blindly 10 the darkness. listen.
ing vacantly 10 the vain hope Of catch.
ing some sound. however faint, Of
that outside world hs had 80 recent.
" left. The silence was - complete
ae the darkness that surrounded him.
and hours paase.l without bringing any
change. Now and then Q muflled
sound reached his carr. Wa Il q
footstep in the passage! Was il q
wave . little higher than the others
Vas It only the plantive cry IL the
sea-mew! Or MAS it the dying gasl
off fellow prisoners He could moi
tell. After a very long time, oi
which he could not even guess the
length, ne di.tictly heard . noise .
OF bolts and keys IT his pr;-on door.
Sudde0ly il opened. and . Hood oi
light illuminated every c"rner OF hi.
dismal cell Dazzeled At fret hy ths
glare Of the torches. he could not aes
the men by whom they were carried
but gradually. ns his eyes grew nc
cu.tomed to the light, he saw they
we're all armed, all masked. AMI al
dressed in black. In the meantime
bis hands had been releaer,l of their
letters. and his gusrde had quietly
surrounded him. Without . word
without . sound. they led hin
ON in their midst. Through
dark halls and narrow stsir
cases. through cr"ked passages and
low. beetiing d"rs, they marched .
nni.lessly ss . group It ghosts sur
rounding . mortal man.
At last their gnal is reached: .
door is lung open and Sir John i
ushered into q spacious room. A
one end. on . raised platform. sit tel
judges. all masked. all drspesi il
large black closks. BY their sides
but Q little lower down. are th,
scribes Of this quiet tribunal. Judge
and statues, and not human beings
The 6rst glimpses Of dawn struggling
through the painted windows, pnwer
les. - vet. to supersede the va,
candles, gave to the whole scene tn
most weird aspect. Outside. al va
sleeping; and no sound reached tn
| inmates Of this hall to remind then
that Q powerful city. . numerou
| population. surrounded their silen
abode.
As sOop rs the several actors il
| this strange scene had reached thei
| proper places. . msn still masked. AM
dressed iu tine same dark hue. begs.
in q monotonrus SLOW tone to give BIZ
evidence. Though mufiled hy tn,
fold. Of his mask. his voice ~.
peculiarly distinct and clear. and Sil
John at once knew it as HING tn,
| same he had heard when be was ar
rested. Cold aud pitile. s- steel
withou: Q tremor. and without {
pause, the voice repeated all tn
words used by the cuipnt when. il
his rash hurst Of passion. he had
derided and Knocked the knowledgs
and power OF the Serenissims. Slowly
and regularly the words followed eact
other a. the links Of q Heightened
chain, q. steadily IS the drops Of rail-
90 q winters day. The pens Of tn.
scribes. creaking a. they hurried ove'
the paper. made . st accompanies
70 the recital. Except for them. al
was ~ motionless. - still a. If ~
human hearts were heating under
those black elk NANTES. Il ended
ut last, and with q sense of relief ST
John strained his senses tn see. 4
hear what would follow.
After Q short pause. the Judge, VII
sat ut the center Of the table stood ~
and addressed him 10 these terms
"You have heard tho evidence sgains
you; nov follow us and hear you
osptence."
No c-oss examination. no defene
We allowed BY the laws Of this couu
ell. Rising together o. Il moved b,
Q single mind the funeral PrVcesoioI
followed ite leader. and left the bal
By the door through which Sir JohI
had entered It. Again through th
same winding passages. sgsin dov'
the same narrow steps. silently am
ooiselessly they gIided like ghosts n
turning to their graves. Surrounds
b. bic guards. Sir John followed im
mediately after the last of the judges
wondering al The time what Has (
be biz fate. When they had reache,
the lowest 6oor Of the building. an
vere nearing avnin the lOalhs0m0 eel