The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-02-04
Inn THE SOUTHEAST BASTION.

| was standing in the inner court OF the old
fortress of San Marco in st. Augustine. had
made, or thought had made, discovery.
Ever since had first visited 1t had taken the
greatest interest in this ancient pile, begun 30O
wears ago by the Spanlards, and the Oldest edi-
| dce of the kind in our country. | was thor
on rhy acquainted with its demilunes, its bar
bican, It's terre.plen, its portcullis, its moat,
lis dungeons, and everything known ana seen
hy the general public. But now ] hoped |
knew and should see something unknown and
unseen by the general public.
The young man who assisted the old ser.
geant in charge of the tort approached me- ut
| is time tn shut up, slr," he said.
1t was true. The sun was setting. | walk
ed through the great entrance hall, casting a
longing look leitward as | did so, crossed the
Idrawbridge and went INTO the town. l had
not walked IA dozen yards on the broad sea
wall which skirts the water front OF the old
CITY when saw rld!Hg toward me on the road
A lady on a sorrel horse. She rode directly up
to the wall, and We both stopped.
Good evening" said she with pleasant
smile. Just from San Marco, | suppose.
Have YOU found anything newY'
This seemed 10 me u curious question 10
come at such time. | was wildly anxious
WHY should | not tell Miss Mallette? This
Young lady WAS the daughter OF one OF our
great western farmers, and was my most init.
matc friend IN the town. We had walked to-
gether on moonlight nights on the seawall,
we had sailed together on the broad waters OF
! the Mantan2as, we had rambled over the old
fort had danced together at the hops, and had
taken many ride along the shell road and
into the beautiful rose gardens Of the suburbs
She had told me of the 10000 acre fields OF
wheat upon her fathers farm, and OF the long
calops she took and the strange lite she led
upon that vast domain. | IN turn had told her
everything about myself | thought she was
| likely to know; and why should | not tell her
This Thing, I'm which she would feel more IN
lerest than in anything had spoken OF to her
before?
81 believe" said, II have found out some
thing new"
20, delightful! she cried. Just stand
where you are ard tell me all about It. Your
head is so high that don't have to bend down
a bit What have you found"
"You remember the dungeon in the north
east bastion"
"Where the skeletons and the iron cages
were fOundy o, yes, OF course remember ii;
and when | visit Washington am going to
see If one OF those skeletons really Is in the
Smithsonian Institution. don't believe the
people here know anything about IT.
well" continued, II have always consd-
cred that in the southeast bastlon there must
be something Of the same kind, for 1t Is not to
be supposed that the Spaniards would have
built bastlon which Tor more than fifty feet
from its outer corner should be of solid ma
sonry"
yes, | remember that we talked about that,
But YOU don't suppose they put skeletons in
every corner"
30, no." said, 81 have no reason to suppose
there are any more skeletons, but feel sure
there Is room or dungeon of some sort with.
in that bastion."
1--WE have supposed all that before said
Miss Mallctte, but what have you found outE'
THAT is what | am going to tell YOU |
replied "You remember two rooms which
open to the right rs you go into the entrance
] hall or fort"
Certainly SAID she zone of them was
the kitchen of the Indian prisoners, where that
horrid murderous squaw presided"
"Well, then, you remember there is third
room, completely dark, beyond thesc?'
80, yes. I've often stood at the open door
and tried to look into it with lighted matches
and papers; but | could never sec more than
a few feet, it was SO pltchy black inside. The
old sergeant never takes anybody IN there,
does hey"
NO" 1 replied; "lor some reason or other
he never investigates this room. He always
says there is nothing IN it, and passes on"
IL should like ever SO much TO 20 in there"
said Miss Mallette.
1--WE been in," answered, land have gone
all over the room"
How on earth did you do that?" she ex-
claimed. 81 should have been afraid of wells
l., nj nitlo1Iu Dlnusu inlI mo al OH nj Rut
are you not tired Of standing?"
Not a bit. | have long wished to explore
this room, because beyond 1t lies the unknown
! fifty feet of the southeast bastion. / was afraid
To take a lantern INTO the rOom for If the old
sergeant or any one else saw me cropping about
there, he would interfere with my lnvestlga-
tons, which | wished to keep to myself so |
determined TO go IN and cautiously feel my
way about the place. tapped the ground be.
| fore me with " cane as ! walked SO that
could not step into any hole After | had been
| in there ten or fifteen minutes, ii Is astonish-
| ing how my eyes became accustomed to the
darkness / could actually see, though very
dlmly, the inner walls rs | approached them.
And here made discovery"
80! what was ity" cried Miss Mallette,
greatly interested.
at was u hole two or three feet square, in
the eastern or iartherest wall of the room"
And did you go throughy' cried the lady.
mo, have not got so far lis that yet. In
fact, 1t Is now impossible to go through it. 1t
is nearly tlled with sand or fine earth, and this
must be dug out before any one can enter it,"
What do you intend to do about it ?" said
Miss Mallette, her eyes sparkling with excite.
ment. And where do you think it leads to-"
81 feel confident II leads to some chamber
in the southeast basuon and | intend TO dig
through and see what is beyond"
"lf were man." said the lady, II should
like nothing better than to do that. But are
you sure that you have really discovered this
thing! Perhaps there Is some one who can
tell you all about it,"
Il thought OF that, and asked the old ser
geant. II anybody knows anything about the
fort, he does. When told him had found
this hole he looked amazed, and expressed a
great deal OF surprise at my exploring the
dark chamber | lOuni ne 6,l NOT want fu