The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-03
CHAPTER XVII.

We looked at one another as men
COMPOUNDED. When wae this dreadful
business accomplished, and by whom
Mr.. lynn was the first to collect him
self.
ave have been deceived, friends" he
said, with a sigh, "cr rather we have
deceived ourselves. These poor people
got no fair start, as we thought, but
were seized at the very outset. While
we were following, as we deemed, on
their track, they were being hurried
toward the castle"
"But this murder?" I cried In vast
anxiety. "How came it about? Alasl
and there may be others. Nay, let us
search this place thoroughly, that we
may know whether it be so or not"
We left the body at this, and looked
narrowly all about, but made no like
dreadful discovery.
'To answer your question, Ardick,"
said Mr.. Tym MS we finally gave over,
81 opine Don Enrique tried to escape,
and in doing so was slain. Alas! poor
gentleman, he lacked not spirit!
Wei, and how say you? Shall we
cover the remains and push on? 1t
may be we can yet render some serv-
ice to the living"
LET us by all means do So" said the
captain, with n sigh.
As we drew near the castle / OBJ
served considerable stir, many fig
ures of the buccaneers passing and
requesting and some pushing forward
little groups of unarmed people, who
must be captives. Not few women
were among them, for ] could see the
fullness of their garments and the
bright colors of their scarfs and other
like decorations.
At last we drew nigh and climbed
the plateau to the gate. l was now
able to observe with more eXactness
The things we had till now seen at a
distance, but ] confess that my head
was so full of our especial business that
j took no close notice of them, though
at another time | had not failed to
do so. My mind was now more and
more on edge to discover the fate of
the poor Lady Carmen. At last il was
our turn, and we hastily passed the
guard and entered the court. l must
pause here to say that the interior
parts of the castle were in some ways
peculiar, since the chief hall was upon
the neither floor, and was reached at
once after passing through a strong
arched gateway and little passage.
The offices and lesser rooms were be-
yond this hall, and the dungeons
Though this learned afterward) were
directly beneath ii. The quarters for
the soldiers were meant TO be in
rearward wing, but the present gar
rison, having no strict discipline, were
making a billet of whatsoever places
they saw fit. These things had best he
mentioned here, as they will make
clearer the parts of the narrative 10
follow.
When we had gotten into The court
we found much stir, many pushing
about inteut on disposing of their
booty, and others making for the
kitchen, whence we caught the smell
of cookery. We had scarce landed
within the gate when | espied Paul
CRADLE, by the piece of raw meat in
his hand bound for his dinner.
"Yonder goes CRADLE" I said to my
companions. Can We find more suit
able person to give MS the ucws?"
hllnOul waiting lVI lu'il duhNtI, L
hailed him and brought him to.
"If you are not in haste" l said,
carelessly 81 will fetch you a piece OF
the meat, and we viii mess with you.
1t would seem like old times, and,
Snoreover--to be out with tive would
have little talk with you"
81 have no objection" he answered.
"Fetch the meat and what else you
wish. will wait"
] lost no time in doing this, and,
possessed of good slab of the beef
and two or three loaves of bread,
signed to my companions, and we fell
into his wake. lie led us across the
court to the kitchens, where we roast
ed the meat, and thence, having first
procured some wooden trenchers and
little salt, we passed through a
postern gate and established our
selves at the foot of the wall. Here
was comparative seclusion, as well as
some escape from the heat, which was
now intense.
As soon as we were established /
made CRADLE acquainted with Capt.
Sellinger, relating at the same time,
though in brief, the captains story,
did this, meaning in the first place,
TO establish better fellowship, and
also that 1 could (by indirecton) give
some coloring to the mornings adven-
ture. In short, made it appear that
our business at the don's was legiti-
mate--.that is, from the buccaneers
standpoint-and that the matter was
fetched about by the captain, who
hated his late master.
CRADLE was no very deep fellow, and
easily swallowed this yarn, which
when he had done he was in the state
of mind that | desired
swell" said I, feignng an indiffer-
ent air, 81 fancy none of us are the
richer by the morninp's undertaking.