Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-12-13

l do not know" retorted the prisoner.
The older man, without replying,
signaled to two tall and powerful mer
clad in black, who had silently en-.
tered the hall Take the prisoner, .
he said. land bind him on the rack.
Let me be summoned when all is in
readiness"
The young man, who did not blanch,
was seized by the executioners and
hurried through devious passages to
the great torture-chamber, where the 81.
lence seemed still to preserve an echo OF
all the shrieks and groans that had rung
through those dim arches. Stripped
and laid on the rack, he preserved
the same composure, and seemed even
Indifferent to the advent of the two
noble lords whose entrance must give
the signal for his sufferings to begin.
One was the same to whose examina-
ton he had already been subjected in
the audience hall; the other-Doria
himself-a tall. white-haired old man,
gazed at him eagerly, as If to extract
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
as inexpensive as 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 tho
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
am ignorant of? know of no conspira-
cy, signori; l have no fellows"
"There are other ways than the 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.
s. l have no knowledge. signori." he
painted, and smiled again.
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 at 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 a 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 moro beckoned
L,ligi and led him to the corne
OF the cell, where on a rough stone
lay tablet, a bronze cup filed with
black liquid, and u feather trimmed for
writing. The cripple's voice, hoarse
and cracked, broke the silence.
When you weary of solitude" he
said. ''or wish for the 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 it in the
shaft. You will receive your free
dom and all that the heart of man
can desire, otherwise your imprison-
1aent is lifelong"
In q moment more the prisoner
heard the jar of the closing door,
and the heavy bolts were drawn.
Footsteps resounded through the cav
ernous halls and died away. He was
alone. Exhausted, faint and throb-
bing 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
pring afresh in his bruised and aching
body, and his mind recovering some
hing of strength. A swapping noise
1t one side of the cell reused his at
ention. and he lifted himself hastily
% one elbow. His keen gaze dis
,erned a small iron plate at one side
IF the wall. and this had flown open.
lie sprang to examine it. From the
aperture thus revealed he could look up !
through a narrow shaft lined with |
'mOoth black marble and extending |
upward some thirty feet or more. As
,e looked. the opening at the top |
vas darkened, and he only withdrew
lis head in time to escape the rapid
all of a shelf hung on slender chains.
which descended to the level Of his
I'LL. It was Fl led to owe flowing
With sumptdbus meal. The richest
heats. the daintiest fruits. the rarest
vines were before him. For q mo-
nent Luigi feared some hidden poison.
MT the yasnifo firm, nain had an a h}od