Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-02-09

from the moat.
The priest sprang up and set to the
task, at which he labored CALAMITY for
two long hours, Had it not been for his
efforts the sheds and the slaves in them
must have been burned. fer the sparks fell
thick upon the dry thatch, which caught
again and again.
Now the sights and sounds grew more
fearful Maddened with fear, the remain
der of the slave drivers and their servants
rushed from the flaming buildings, striv-
ing to find shelter from the fire. Some
flung themselves desperately into the aioes
and prickly pears ON the inner rampant,
and climbing the palisade beyond escaped
into the marsh, while some collected on
the open space, and at these the gun was
fired from lime to time when the smoke
lifted. Others again ran to the dixie of
the slave camp, begging for mercy there
to be shot by Otter, who never wearied in
his task of revenge, From behind them
also rose the hideous cries of the terrified
slaves, who believed that they were about
to be burned alive and screamed as they
dragged at their manacles.
"Oh, it is like hellP' said Juanna to
Leonard as she buried her face in the grass
the suffocating smoke. She was right.
And so the time went on. One by one
the roofs of the various buildings fell in,
and spouts of flame hot high into the air
to descend about them in a rain of sparks.
But at last the cries. ceased, for the slaves
could yell no more. The fire grew less
and less, and the wind dropped. Then
the sun rose on the scene of death and
Oscillation The GNypnt hare
to the depth of 700 yards, and the camp
was a smoking ruin, strewn with the
dead. Tho walls of the nest stood, how
ever, and here and there a charred post
remained. Everything else was gone ex-
cept the magazine, which had escaped the
flames, being built of brick and stone and
rooted with tin.
The Adventures looked around them in
silence. Then they looked at each other.
What spectacle they presented in the
clear light Of the morning as they stood
by the gun which had done them such
signal service! All were begrimed with
smoke and powder and their clothes were
burned by the falling sparks. Leonard's
throat was a mass of bruises; his hands
and face were bleeding; he was so stiff
and hurt that he could scarcely move.
SOFAS hair was singed and cut by the bull
let's which had shaved her head. The
priests robe hung in charred threads, and
his hands were blistered with fire. Juan
mas broidered Arab dress, torn by the
brutal hand of Pereira, scarcely retained a
trace of white, and her long dark hair
was tangled and powdered with bits of
blackcned reed. All were utterly exhaust
ed-thGt is, all except Otter, who advanc-
ed to speak to Leonard, begrimed and
stripped to the waist, but fresh and fierce
as ever.
"What is it, Otter?" he asked
"Will the baas let me take these men"
and no nodded toward the freed slaves
who had belonged to the settlement and
hunt through the camp yonders Many Of
the devils still live, and wounded snakes
strike hardest
LAS you like answered Leonard.
Arm them with anything you can find
| and search the camp thoroughly. But be
careful"
In ten minutes Otter was gone, with the
men. Then Leonard and the others got
water and washed as best they might, the
guardhouse being assigned to Juanna and
Sea, who made their toilet with the help
of a comb they had found there There
also they discovered food, the rations Of
the sentry and plentiful supply of meal
for the slaves, of which they ate with such
| appetite as they might.
As they were finishing their meal Otter
| returned unframed, though of the men
who went out with him five were missing.
With him also were two of the 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 it. Their two compan-
ions were dead. One had been taken by
an alligator in the water, and one had
fallen into deep hole in the morass, and
striking his head against log there was
drowned.
rs it finishedS' said Leonard to tho
dwarf.
Otter nodded "Some are dead, and
some arc 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. Come and look at him,
baas.'
| Leonard clambered up the steps of the
embankment followed by the others. On
the farther side stood the group of settle
!
ing the camp-thin and haggard fellows,
SCARED by the slave irons, but very fierce
looking. In their midst q 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.
tsXThara hi Won find him OttarSp ast--
ed Leonard as they crossed the draw
| bridge.
I'm tho 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 moaned for water.
"Give him blood, said one of the men
sullenly. He has drunk it all his days
| Let it be his last drink"
| Leonard motioned to Francisco, the
| priest, to bring water, and then Pereira
! saw them and began to pray for mercy.
Antonio Pereira," Leonard answered
sternly, last night l and two compan-
ions, a woman and black dwarf, set cur
selves task--to take this armed place
/
you had condemned to slavery. 1t did
not seem possible that we should do it,
hut between sunset and sunrise we have
done it. Who helped US, then, that we
should have carried out this thing which
was impossible? / will tell you God
helped us as he helped this lady when she
called on him. Cry to God, then, to do
that which is still more impossible and to
! holr ErnIt1 vo will hax-a No
cy, nor can you expect any.
For moment Pereira ceased whining,
ind flash of the old ferocity came into
his eyes.
"Ah, my friend, Z" he muttered, ''if
had but knowni" Then, turning to Juan
ma, he said: My dove, have not treated
you kindly? viii you say no word for
me, now that my enemies prevail against
meY'
By way of answer Juanna looked first
at the human reptile before her, then at
the bosom of her torn dress, 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 speak"
''Speak on, Leonard answered
"Hearken, Yellow Devil" said the
dwarf. Ten years ago you took me, and
l lay in this camp slave-yes, in yonder
shed. There are the marks of the irons,
your own seal All, you have forgotten
the black dwarf, but he remembers. Who
could forget you, Yellow Devil, that once
had slept beneath your roofs? escaped,
but as fed I swore that If l might
would bring vengeance upon you. The
years went by, and the hour came at last.
led the baas to this place. found you