The Irish standard., 1890-11-29
AVENGED l! ! ] ] ] !. At ]. LAST
Or, a World Wide Chase.
a STORY OF RETRlBUTlON.
BY w ABAsH."
lcorYR1aHr, 1901

Wduteu any 5HlHg 10 eau Eefcy Iotu
him he was nearly famished, aud the
Dutchman ordered bis wants attended
to. These few words were all that
Percy heard spoken in English that
day, and when the next came he was
too sick to listen to any. His head
ached and his senses swan. lie felt
az though some great and severe illness
was coming upon him, as, indeed. ~
was. The privatlon had been too much
for him, and to that, along with his
unnatural surroundings of accumulated
filth, he finally succumbed Before
another day dawned he was in de-
lirious fever, and all that mis- captors
could hear him cry was: 'Armida!
Arn1idap
and, fortunately, pulled through, with
the assistance OF the Gaucho doctor.
But he was sad wreck Of his former
self-haggard in appearance and about
half his normal weight. Certainly.
none of his friends would have known
hirn. 1t was several weeks after he
passed the critical stage of his fever
before he was able to walk about and
then his guardians would not permit
him to stroll far beyond che door
A rude bench had been constructed
just outside the hut upon which he
would sit for hours at a stretch, ponder
ing over the exciting adventures he
was passing through and wondering
how it was all going to end. He did
not know where he was and could not
form the slightest idea. From she num-
Der of little islands which lay la the
river he saw running through the val
ley about a mile away he judged it must
be Rio de Ia Plata, Or River Plate as it
is better known to English speaking
people. Still, he could form no dein~
ito opinion, but thought that in case he
was for tunate enough to make his es-
cape it would probably provide the
means of carrying him back to Buenos
Ayres. There was not an hour during
which a little steamer or craft OF some
kind did not pass.
Thus did he spend many a weary
hour until his strength began to return,
and he commenced to display moro en-
ergy in looking for means OF escape.
But before he could find one a cloud
was thrown over his prospects by the
appearance of the tall Spaniard who
had acted as Emerick's second at the
duel
Tt was early in the afternoon when
that unwelcome visitor arrived and he
at once came to Percy. in mocking
tone he asked after the health OF Mr.,
Huntley, and said that he regretted to
hear that he had been i'll. To all his In
quiries and remarks Percy paid but lit
tie attention and made bat brief replies.
After awhile the Spaniard asked
Percy what had become OF the suit Of
clothes he wore when he came north,
and to this question Percy replied:
''These beasts whom you placed in
charge of me took them and with them
they took ali the money and valnables
possess"
"Ah, yes, that is so,' said the Span
lard. 1--WE needed that suit to put Oh
another dead Englishman who died
few miles below San Pedro short time
since. According to my contract with
your estimable friend, Mr.. limerick.
you we're to have noatea down that
river, but | humanely decided TO spare
your life. and have resolved to make
nse of you on this farm. You will, no
doubt, make yourself handy when you
recover, and these handsome gentlemen
by whom you are surrounded will take
care that you do not escape"
II would almost rather have hoaied
out 10 sea, down that river, than be
com pelled to make my home among
such set Of evil-looking villains az
there are here. Even my life will
never be safe in their hands," said
Percy.
''Never fear they will not hurt you
IS long as you behave yourself" RS"
sponded the Spaniard.
s'To Judge from their looks and &C.
lions l should imagine they would as
soon stick oae of their long, cleaning
knives into me as they would into bull"
lock- said Percy.
''Oh, no; not one Of them dare lay q
hand on you unless you attempt to es~
cape, without my orders, was the reply.
''Then you propose to force me to
spend the rest Of my natural life on this
farm among these blood-curdling sur
roundings?'
UNLESS you will comply with condi-
tions that will name. / do most
certainly" answered the Spaniard.
''And what are your con0itions?"
asked Percy.
''Few and simple" was the reply.
''Get your friends to pay me . ransom
OF ten thousand American dollars and
you are free the day they pay It. But
should they make the least attempt to
effect your rescue will kill you with
my own hands. If need be, to prevent
it."
"If my friends were asked to pay the
money they would refuse, knowing that
by determined effort they could re
lease me without doing so. As such an
effort would only cost me my life, |
shall not ask them to take other means
to effect my delivery"
s Elm few we2ks you may change your
mind, SO will give you . little time to
think it over. In the meantime you
will remain here and do whatever Mr..
Van Nepp deems necessary and proper.
II you refuse him it will. be so much
!. the worse for you. = These were the
Z.