Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-07-09

gone TO visit them The risk Is great;
| shall we take it?''
''Yes," answered the senior. after q
moments thought, ''for it is better to
take risk than to perish by inches in
this hCAe OF starvation, or perhaps 20 be
discovered and murdered In cold blood.
Also we have travelled far and under
gone much to find the Iirlian, and If we
lose our chance of doing SO we may get
no other"
Now one by one we climbed through
the false panel, and by the light of the
moon Luisa led US across the chamber
to the spot between the beds where
picture, which is on a painted slab OF
wood, proved to be nothing more than
a cunningly devised door constructed
to swing upon pivot.
Resting her knee on the threshold,
Luisa scrambled into the passage be-
yond, and when the rest of US stood by
her side she closed the panel, and bid
ding us to cling to one another, and be
silent, she took me by the hand and
guided US through various passages till
at length she whispered:
BE cautions, now, for we come to
the place whence you drop into the
chapel, and there is stairway to your
right"
We passed the stairway and turned
the corner, Luisa still leading.
Next instant she staggered back into
my arms, murmuring: Mother of
heaven! the ghots! the ghosts!" In
deed, had l not held her she would have
fed. Still clasping her hand, pushed
forward to find myself standing in a
small recess that was placed about ten
feet above the floor of the chapel, and.
like other places in this house, so ar
ranged that the acbot or monk in
authority, without being seen himself,
could see and hear all that passed be-
meath him.
OF one thing am sure, that during
all the generations that are gone by no
monk watching here ever saw stranger
sight than that which met my eyes.
The chancel of the chapel was lit up by
shafts of brilliant moonlight that
poured through the broken window,
and by lamp which stood upon the
stone altar. Within the circle of strong
light thrown by this lamp were four
people, namely: Don Pedro, his son
Don Jose, an old Indian, and girl.
On either side of the altar then, as
now, rose two carven pillars of sapote
wood, the tops of which were fash
Toned into the figure of angels, and to
these columns the old Indian and the
women were tied, one to each column,
their hands being joined together at
the back of the pillars in such a man
ner as to render them absolutely help
less. My eyes first rested upon the
woman, who was nearest to me, and
seeing her, even as she was then, dis
hevelled and worn with pain and hun
ger, with her proud face distorted by
agony of mind and impotent rage, | no
loEszex wondered that both Molas and
Don Pedro had raved about her beauty.
She was an Indian, but such an In
dian as / had never known before, for
in color she was almost white, and her
dark and waving hair hung in masses
to her knee. Her face was oval and
small-featured, and in it shone a pair
of wonderful dark blue eyes, while the
clinging white robe she wore revealed
the loneliness of her tall and delicate
shape.
Bad as was the girls plight, that of
the old man, her father, who was none
other than the Zibalbay we had come
to seek, seemed even worse. He was,
as Molas had described him, thin and
very tall, with white hair and beard,
hawk-like eyes, and aquiline features,
nor had Don Pedro spoken more than
the truth when he said he looked like
a king.
what shall we try him with now?"
said Don JoCe, addressing Don Pedro;
''hot steel or cold? Make up your mind,
for 1 am getting tired. Well, if you
won't, just hand me that machete, will
you? Now friend,' he went on, adj
dressing the Indian, 'for the last time
ask you to tell us where is that tenn
pie full of gold of which you spoke to
your daughter in my fa Tiers hearing?"
''There is no such place, white man."
ne answered sullenly.
Indeed, friend. Then will you ex-
plain where you got those little ingots
which we captured from the Indian who
had been visiting you, and whence came
this machete?" and he pointed to the
weapon in his hand.
It was a sword of great beauty, as l
could see, but of hardened copper, and
having for handle a female figure
with outsSrGtched arms fashioned in
solid gold.
The machete was given to me by a
friend" said the Indian. 81 do not
know where he got it."
Really" answered Jose with bru-
tai laugh; perhaps You will remember
presently. Here, father, warm the
point of the machete in the lamp, will
you, while tell our guest how we are
going to serve him and his daughter"
Don Pedro nodded, and taking the
sword held the tip of it over the flame,
while Jose, bending forward, whispered
into the Indians ear, pointing from
to time to the girl.
Are you white men, then, devils?"
said the old man at length, with a
groan that seemed to burst from the
bottom of his heart, land is there no
law or justice among you?"
None at all, friend" answered Jose;
''Ee are good fellows enough, but times
are hard, and we must live. Now, once
more. will you guide US to the place
whence that gold came, leaving your
daughter here as hostage for our
safety?"
"Never!" cried the Indian. BETTER
that we two should perish a hundred
times than that the ancient secrets of
my people should pass to such as you"
$50 you have secrets after all! Father,
is the sword hot?" asked Jose.
lone minute more" said the old man,
turning the point in the flame.
This was the scene that we witnessed,
and these were the words that as
tonished our ears.
1T is time to interfere" muttered
the senior, and, placing his hand upon
the rail, he prepared to drop into the
church.
Now thought struck me, and drew
him back to the passage.
Perhaps the door is open" said.
Are you going in there?" asked the
girl Luisa.
Certainly" replied: We must res
cue these people or die with them.
Then, senior, farewell. ] have done