The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-11-22
plished, heSs was eager ~ perfect NJ

CHAPTER XVIII
Had the designing limerick known
what had transpired in the Argentine
Republic during the time since he LETT
there his easy, happy feeling would
have been changed to one of bitter chag.
rim. The plucky Englishn1an whom we
left lying in the bottom Of bullock
cart, few months before, had not yet
become food for the fishes
During the VIII ole of the day on which
the meeting for the duel took place he
lay in the bottom of the cart covered
with sacks. Twice he was permitted
! little fresh air and twice the gags were
taken from his mouth in order that he
| might drink a little filthy water which
was given to him by the poems who had
charge of him. On these occasions he
was too weak to shout and had he
! shouted his voice would have spent
! itself I'm heard, for he was too far from
any living soul Except his captors) to
secure help.
J When the shades of night fell he was
| conscious that the stopping place Tor
rest had been reached. He knew that
/
! cart, for he recognized the cries OF the
poems as they urged the tired beasts to
move. Then they took the gags from
! his mouth and spoke to him IN their
! iargon which he did not understand, and
! as they could not speak English they
! had to resort to dumb motions to nake
each other understand. Percy made
motion to the effect that he wanted
drink and they passed a black bottle to
| him. It contained vile, cheap liquor
| which the natives distill themselves,
! and as it touched his lips he made such
a wry face that the two poems could
| hardly control themselves for laugh
ter. After enjoying his discom titure
for (: few moments they merclfully re-
Tented and gave him some water 10
drink, after which they dragged him.
still bound, from the cart and laid him
| on the ground.
They then proceeded TO prepare their
| camp for the night. Lighting fire,
| they spread out some coarse blankets 70
| lie upon. AS soon as the lire had burnt
| up they took a long strip Of beef from
their supplies and cut off pieces in the
manner common in that country (Whers
a piece of beef is cut up when required
| in much the same way that Europe"
ans or Americans might cut up loaf OF
| breaa) and toasted it over the hre.
This together with some coarse bread
| washed down with the vile liquor which
| they carried, constituted supper,
! supper which Percy's delicate stomach
| was not ia very fit state TO receive.
Still he felt compelled to eat TO keep
up his strength, SO did his best to swal-
low the food they gave him, moistening
it with some very brackish water,
which was the best that could DO
| found.
| Soon after eating Percy fell into
Sleep and SO sound vas it that his
keepers, who had intended to watch him
in turn during the night, resolved TO
| sleep also, trusting that their captive
would be perfectly safe as he was STILL
tightly bound about the legs.
| After taking their fill of food and
| liquor they made fast Percy's hands
! without awakening him, and laid down
! to rest themselves.
! The next three days were only q rep
etition of the first, and Percy never had
a sight Of the country which they Wers
passing through until nightfall.
! On the fourth day they came TO their
| destination. The cart had stopped, and,
as Percy still lay In the bottom bound
hand and foot, his nostrils were uitend-
| ed with the yiiest of stenches-
| From this he at once thought he must
| be near to corral, and when the bel
lowing Of the angry beasts confined
| therein reached his ears he knew THAI
! his surmises were correct.
| Pretty soon he heard O medley OF
voices. and he was Immediately taken
| from the cart and carried into one of tas
three mud hats, which appeared to be
the abiding place that his captors had
! designated for him. Now, for the first
time in five days, his bonds were re-
| moved, though his captors still kept =
| careful watch over him. This, how
| ever, was quite unnecessary, for had
! they left him with the door wide open
! he could not have escaped. He was too
| badly crampcd after his long, rough ride
! in the cart to make move, and 1T would
take many hours of rest to loosen his
limbs.
| Never was rest more welcome to
him, and, notwithstanding that he lay
in dirty, miserable howell, surrounded
with filth and squalor in its worst form.
he enjoyed his sleep as we'll as though he
had been in his comfor table room In
New York.
! He was carefully watched through the
night and no chance was given for him
to escape in the event of his awakening.
Els watchers were the vilest-looking
men it would be possible to meet even
! in South America, and a look at them
would have been sufficient to drive
sleep from most people. Still Percy had
not needed them, but slept as soundly
as man dog tired could sleep. 1t was
| a rude awakening for him, however, for
the early morning brought all the hands
on the farm who could spare the time to
take peep at him. But he needed
them not and longed for but one thing,
and that was some one to speak to in
English. Yet no one came. At last y
burly Hollander, who had charge Of the