The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-12

ton showed that this was but four o
five feet deep, and that from its bottom
r the tunnel, slightly enlarged, continued
in the same direction as above. l care
fully let myself down, and crawled on
e ward, though with considerable diff
Guilty, as the bottom of the pit was damn
and Shiny, and the tunnel bore marks OF
having been recently filled with water
1t sloped gradually upward for some dis.
tance, and then as gradually downward
Presently thought heard the sound OF
gurgling water | stopped and listened
What if this dark subterranean passage
should be suddenly flooded, as it seemed
not long ago to have been? l should be
drowned before could drag myself out.
| listened attentively, but no further
sound broke the tomblike stiffness; and
stimulated by the vision of the pirate S
gold, cautiously advanced; few feet
further brought me to water indeed.
The tunnel dipped gradually into it, and
by the light of my lantern could see be
yOnd that the water reached to within a
few inches of the top of the tunnel.
stopped to consider, and began planning
to retrace my way and procure some
assistance, and pump with which to
clear the further way, when a faint but
distinct sound reached my ears, that al
most made my heart stop beating. 1t
was human groan coming apparently
from the passage bUtOre me. Was IL
spirits? / dismissed the idea instantly,
l did not believe in spirits. Could it be
some wild beast? It seemed hardly pos
sible with this water before me. Was
some fellow being here in distress? AS
| 1 1a1ihnratn1 fhn xNu fliGtiat1y ra
peated. All my daredevil nature was
aroused at once. l grasped a cooked re-
volyer in one hand, fastened my lantern
to my hat, and crawled rapidly forward
into the water. The tunnel grew higher
as | advanced, so that | could get along
on my kness without the assistance of
my hands, and the groaning became
more distinct and more agonizing, as
from some human being in mortal pain.
81 shouted aloud: Halo! who is
here? and hurried on as fast as l could
with my head and shoulders barely above
water. Presently the tunnel ended in
blank wall, and found myself at the
bottom of a sort of well, with the groans
coming directly from over my head. A
few inches above me the well opened out
| in cavernous darkness. | stood in water
half way up my thighs. A moment |
hesitated, and suddenly felt the water
rising rapidly about my waist. | was
dreadfully alarmed, and springng des-
perately upward clutchcd the edge of the
well, and after lew Intellectual Strug-
giles, during which the water continued
rising about me, | succeeded in climbing
out into what | afterward discovered to
be q low, vaultcd, circular chamber,
about twenty feet in diameter. | say
aftcrwartl discovered, for just as | sue
ceeded in gaining the level floor of the
chamber II deafcning burst of hideOus
laughter, mingled with unearthly shrieks
and yels, pealCd in my ears, and before
| had time to cast a glance about me |
received stunning blow upon the fore
head that stretched me senseless on the
floor"
Here the speaker paused to lift his lux
uriant snOw-white hair, and disclosed a
CHASTITY scar over his left temple. 81
have never been able to satisfy myself" d"
he continued, whether struck my head
against some obstruction, though | could
find nothing afterward likely to inliict
such wound, or whether the blow was
given me by spirit. For though did
not believe in the existence of ghosts or
spirits before that, have never doubted
since. But have never known case
except my own, of spirits offering physi-
cal violence to any one.
81 have no idea how long lay uncon-
scious. 1t must have been some hours,I
think, and when at last came to my
senses behcld the most extraordinary
sight of my life, something that will not
be forgotten to my dying day, A soft
light filled the vaulted apartment, and
two stalwart figures, richly dressed in
the curious costumes that we see in pic
lures of the sixteenth century, were seat
ed on rough stools in the middle of the
floor, drinking wine from huge silver
gObets out of n cask that stood near, and
apparently playing at dice.
1.-TWO or three others, in meaner garb,
stood respectfully around. | seemed to
hear conversation between the two
principal figures in Spanish, but their
voices were too low for me to catch dis
tinCtly anything that was said, especially
as my acquaintance with the language
was rather limited. They seemed to be
discussing some absorbing topic, and i'll
no very amicable mood, for the manner
of the elder one particularly was very
abrupt and naughty. Presently the
younger of the two, a coarse-featured,
brutal-faced man, broke out into an un-
comfortable rage. He dashed his goblet
on the floor and cried: TIE cog sdber,
uiejo. | let you know, old man, that
your daughter is not my equal, nor you
Yourself The other, gray mustached,
noble -vislged old cavalier, spTang to his
feet and drew his Tapier quick as a fash
Dog! dare you speak thus of me?' he
cried. The rufiian sat still, and with
la nIa q cinn Nvifh hip
hand. and instantly the attendants sprang
upon the old man, disarmed and bound
him in the twinkling of an eye and threw
him to the floor at the others feet.
"'Now you look like a grandee of
Spain, Don fool!' sneered the villain.
Your gentle blood is too good to be
mingled with mine, is it? Your pretty
daughter is too good for me? You shall
learn now that one outlaws blood is no
better than another's, and that gentle
men do not defy the throne of CASTLE and
Leon to be domineered by any one, least
of all by Don iackass who gives him
self airs on his lordly birth. | am lord
now of you and your ship and of your
treasures and of your daughter. Do
homage, kiss my footl and with that he
gave the PROSTATE figure a cruel kick in
the face. Then followed scene of
bloody brutality that | had never
dreamed of as possible. / cannot de-
scribe it. l grew sick to think of it.
Every imaginable indignity and torture
that cold blooded villain, assisted by his
too willing tools, heaped upon his help
less victim.
II was petrified with fear and horror,
or should have attempted to interfere,
although | knew that it was but a ghost
ly tragedy, but | could not move.
could not utter sound, could only lie
as in a trance and watch the horrible
spectacle as the old man was Utterly
fayed alive. He uttered no plea for his
life, and at first maintained a stoical 81
lence under his sufferings, but as he
gradually grew weaker grOan after groan
was wrung from his pallid lips, and
recognized the sound that had greeted
me as | advanced in the tunnel. Finally,
tired with his brutality, the ruflian gave
his now insensible victim the cOup-de-
grace, and his attendants threw the body
into the hole by which had entered the
cave. now almost full TO the top with
water. In so doing they brushed close
to me, and one of them actually set his
foot upon or through me, for | did not
seem to be at all in the way. | did not
feel him, and none of them noticed me
in any way.