Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-24
What Is it, Ottcrf' he asked,

and he nodded toward the freed slaves
who had belonged TO the settlement, land
hunt through the camp yondert Many of
the devils still live. and wounded snakes
strike hartlest''
"As you like" answered Leonard.
Arm them with anything you can find
and search the camp thoroughly. But BIO
CAREFUL"
In ten minutes Otter was gone, with tho
men. Then Leonard and the others got
water and washed rs best they might, the
guardhouse being assigned to Juanna and
Soa, who made their toilet with the help
of a comb they had found there. There
also they discovered food, tho rations Of
the sentry and a plentiful supply of meal
for the slaves, Of which they ate with such
appetite rs they might.
As they were finishing their meal Otter
returned unframed, though of the men
who went out with him five wero missing
With him also were two of tho four set
Element men who had been sent to fire
the reeds on the previous night. They
were much exhausted, for their task had
been no easy one, and fortunately for
Leonard it was only after long delay that
they succeeded in IL. Their two eompan-
ions were dead. Ono had been taken by
an alligator in tho water, and one had
fallen into deep hole in the morass, and
striking his head against log thcro was
drowned.
rs it fnishcd''' said Leonard to the
dwarf.
Otter nodded. 'Somc are dead, and
some nro fled, he answered, ''but from
these VIC have little to fear. Still that is
not all the tale, baas. We have taken one
of them alive. Como and look at him,
bans
Leonard clambered up the steps Of the
embankmcnt, followed by the others. On
the farther side stood the group of settle
ment men who had returned from scour-
ing the camp-thin and haggard fellows,
Scared by the slave irons, but very fierce
looking. In their midst n white man,
bound with ropes, crouched upon the
ground, moaning in terror and misery.
Just then he lifted his face. 1t was that
of the Yellow Devil himself There he lay,
that aged iniquity, that hoary shame,
caught at last in his own snares.
Where did you find him, ottert" ask
ed Leonard rs they crossed the draw
bridge.
I'm the magazine, baas, and your gold
with him; also many rifles and much pow
der. He had locked himself up there, but
he had not the heart to fire the powder
and make an end"
Pereira did not see them as yet; but,
raising his head, he moancd for water.
Give him blood, " said one of tho men
sullenly. He has drunk it all Les days.
Let it be his last drink
Leonard motioncd to Francisco the
priest, to bring water, and then Pereira
saw them and began to pray for mercy.
Antonio Pcrcira," Leonard answered
sternly, last night l and two compan-
ions, n woman and n black dwarf, set our.
selves task-to take this armed place
of and a white ri II
you had condemned to slavery 1t did
not seem possible that we should do Il,
but between sunset and sunrise we have
done il. Who helped us, then, that we
should have carried out this thing which
was impossible! l will tell you. God
helped us rs he helped this lady when she
called on him. Cry to God, then, to do
that which is still moro impossible and to
help you. From me you will have no mcr.
~, nor can you expect any"
For moment Pcrcira ceased whining,
and n flash of the old ferocity came into
his eyes.
All, my friend" he muttcrcd, ''if
had but known" Then. turning to Juan
ma, he said: My dove, have l not treated
you kindly Will you say no word for
me, now that my enemies prevail against
met
BY way Of answer Juanna looked first
ut the human reptile before her, then ut
the bosom of her torn drcss, now roughly
pinned up with spikes Of aloe leaves, and
there was n world of meaning in that
look. Then she turned and went.
"Baas, " said Otter, may 1 speak.
Speak on. Leonard answered.
"Hcarkcn, Yellow DEVIL said the
dwarf. Ten years ago you took me, and
lay in this camp slavc-ycs, In yondCr
shed. There arr the marks Of the irons.
your own seal. All, YOU have forgotten
the black dwarf. but he rcmcmbcrs Who
could forget you, Yellow Devil, that once
had slept beneath your roOfsy / escaped,
but rs l fed ! sworc that IL might l
would bring vengeance upon you. The
years went by, and the hour came at last
/ led the bans to this place. found you
this morning. and NC an not parted yet,
Yellow Devil What did YOU boast last
black people To slavery Yes, and for
every one that you have sold you have
killed fivc-Old men white with years,
women with child, little children at the
breast-you have murdered them all All.
yes, / have seen you laugh and kill them
before the eyes OF their mothers n last
night you killed the kitten. And now
your time has come ut last. Yellow Devil.
and I, Otter, the dwarf, will give you To
vi sbhE wv " nat. you
cry for mercy, who never gave IL oven
in a drcam' tell you did my chief
yondcr bid me loose you I would disobCy
him, even to force, | who would rather
die than put aside his wCri on any other
matter. Look now ut these men, and he
pointed to the settlement people, who glar-
ed hungrily mt tho crouchinG wretch,
much rs hounds glare ut tho fox that is
held aloof by the huntsman. look Mt
them. Do You Sc" mere: in their cycs'
They, whose fathers and mothers You have
murdered, whose little children you have
stamped TO DEATH Wow, Yellow Devil!
The white men tell us of a hell. n place
where dead people nrc tormentcd. We
know nothing of that; &c is for the white
people, and they may keep it all to them.
selves. Now you are beginning tn taste
that hell of yours-only beginning. Yet
low Devil. Baas Leonard, demand this
man to be tried by us and dealt with &C
cording to our customs, for il is against
us black folk that he has sinncd most of
all, and we ask his blood in payment for
our blood.
Take il" answered Leonard. and
though he was not a hard hearted man he
said It without n single touch of pity for
the cruel demon in the tolls. Indeed it
seemed TO him most fitting judgment.
Not so did IL strike Pereira.
what" he howlcd, "am to be given
over to these black dogs Mercy, mercy!
Francisco, plead for me. Shrive me.
know l killed your brother had tn do
IL. Plead for me- and Ne rolled in the
dust, trying TO clasp LcOnarJ's feet.
II cannot shrivo you,'' answered the
priest, shuddcring, and IL is useless to
plead. But I will pray for You
Then the natives pounccd upon Pcrcira
and dragged him away, Soa following
him, her fierce eyes fixed upon his hidcous
face.
An hour later Otter reappearcd with u
shining countenancc, hut Leonard did not
ask him any questions. Turning tn him
"a IL nothing had happened, he said: