The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-11-30

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The older man. without replying.
signaled % two tall and powerful men
clad IN black. who had silently en-
tered the hall. take the prisoner"
he said. sand bind him on the rack.
Let me b summoned when nll Il In
| readiness"
The young man. who did not blnnch.
was seized by tho executioners and
hurried through devious passages 70
the great torture-chamber, where the Sc
lence seemed still 70 preserve an echo Of
all the shricks and groans that hal rung
through those din arches. Stripped
! and laid on the rack. no preserved
the same composurc, and seemed even
indifferent 70 tho advent Of the two
noble lords whose entrance must give
the signal for his sufYerings TO begin.
One was tho same TO whose examine
tion he had already been subjected In
the audience hall; the other-Doria
himself--a tall. white-haired old man.
gazed ut him eagerly, rs II to cxtrnct
from his face the information which
his lips refused to give. But there was
nothing to be gained by inquisitive
glances- Luigi's countenance remained
rs inexpensive rs his words. and when
the attendants. at the signal. began
their torments. they were powerless
to drag treachery from his lips.
| The torture was applied again the
next day. and the next. and yet again
As the prisoner became weaker. his
self-control gave way; in his pain he
sobbed and moaned and shrieked. but
he never spoke. Each day he smiled
anew before they laid him on the rack.
and repeated his old formula: "How
can the torture make me reveal what l
am ignorant Of? know Of no conspira-
cy. signori; have no fellows"
"There are other ways than tho rack
to make you reveal your evil knowl-
edge responded the Prince on one
occasion. when. pale. exhausted, almost
dying, the miserable sufferer was car
ried past him. But in an instant the
white face lighted up.
:" have no knowledge, signori." he
painted. and smiled again.
i The next morning Luigi awaited In
vain the appearance OF the two execu-
TONERS. Instead. late in the day his
door was unlocked by cripple, who,
standing on the threshold, beckoned
him to come. Bruised and faint.
Luigi staggered to his feet and fol-
lowed the guide. who led him down a
succession Of short stairways to a mar
row door. Two men ut arms followed
close behind. but the prisoner. had he
been alone with his companion. was
too weak to think Of resistance or es-
cape. The guide threw the door open
with q clang. The dungeon which
they entered was small. and dimly
lighted from an opening high above
their heads. 1t was evident that they
stood far below the level OF the earth.
The guide once more beckoned
Luigi and led him to the corner
Of the cell. where on rough stone
lay tablet, bronze cup filed with
black liquid. and feather trimmed for
writing. The cripple's voice, hoarsc
and cracked. broke the silence.
When you weary Of solitude" he
said. ''or wish for tho sunshine. or
perchance desire nothing more than
a mouthful Of fruit. or swallow Of
fresh spring water, you have but to
write the names our master asked
upon this tablet and place IL in the
shaft. You will receive your free
dom and all that the heart Of man
can desire, otherwise your imprison-
ment i lifelong"
| In a moment more the prisoner
heard the Jar Of the closing door.
and the heavy bolts were drawn.
Footsteps resoundcd through the cav
crnous halls and died away. He was
alone. Exhausted, faint and throb-
bling with pain in every muscle. his
sole feeling was delight at having
escaped the torture. He sank upon
the cold stone floor. and lay motion
less for hour after hour in an ecstasy
Of relief. Presently he felt life gath
ering afresh in his bruised and aching
body. and his mind recovering some
thing Of strength. a swapping noise
Mt one side Of the cell reused his at-
tention. and he lifted himself hastily
on one elbow. His keen gaze dis
ccrned a small iron plate at one side
Of the wall, and this had flown open.
| He sprssng TO examine IL From the
aperture thus revealed he could look up
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