The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-22

maps UulS BECAUSE lley were liIeu VI
'torturing us, the Spaniards did not pre-
vent us from trying to cool our hot,
bleeding feet with the juice of such
leaves as were within our reach. With
but little sleep we wore through the
night and next day passed the fortif-
cation and entered the town.
Treasure trains were evidently not an
everyday occurrence. for the whole
town turned out to look at US. and
when they saw we were English a
movement went through the crowd.
and the hootings and revilings made the
echoes ring again. OF noble spirited !
pity for fallen foe there was no
trace. III faces were cruelty exultant. |
Even the women laughed with mock /
ing glee at our wretchedness and babe
our drivers flash their cattle into a trot
for the last stage
And at this there came into my eyes
that which all the lashings could not
bring. for in my folly l had fancied
that a woman's heart must needs be
soft.
The gold was unstrapped from our
weary shoulders and stored in the
treasury, and then those Of us who
were English, all except two that was,
were marched to building whose
i grim and forbidding front needed no
signpost to tell us what went on with
in it's stern white walls. We passed
through an iron studded gate, whose
dismal clanking as it closed behind us
| sounded like warning voice telling
that life and hope were now barred out
from us forever, and so across court.
yard into which opened greet bare
room with high. closely barred win
dows where for little time we were
| left to our own reflections, and these
were none of the pleasantest.
Before nightfall a guard of soldiers
came and unlinked us from our chains
Alec and l, as the leaders Of our party,
were separated from the rest of the
brave fellows. A small supply of wa
ter in dirty earthen jars and handful
of coarse broken crusts were given to
each of us. Then we were led down q
flight of well worn stone steps; door
J was opened; we were sent headlong
forward into the darkness; the door
swung to behind us, was bolted with q
click and double snap, and the foot
3 steps of our jailers echoed along the
passages and died away to silence.
At first the dungeon seemed to us
black as a slave drivers conscience,
but gradually we noticed that a faint
light was coming in through heavily
grated window in the wall. Bruised
: and shaken with our fall, we lay OH
the pavement and wondered what
/. would be the next evil to come to us.
"Oh, no. no! All, ha. hal" laughed a
: weird, unearthly voice from the murk-
lest corner of the cell. $50 they've
: given you water in pitchers and then
= caused you to spill the water and
!, break the pitchers in the hurry of youl
). entry! Oh. no, no! 'Tis merry jest
:, :. They're funny dogs, these noble Span
iards.''
! started to my feet and stared hare
into the corner, but the darkness was
too thick for me to see what manner
: Of thing it was that had addressed us
"Oh. no. HOP cackled the voice again
!. More flesh to frizzle and crackle IL
- much fat on it. More skin to be tori
~ by the pinchers. more stout limbs t
a wear the iron boot. All. ha. ha! Nor
N sweet work for the kind and gentl
n Spaniard''
n who are you." cried Alec sternly
: "man or ghoul, to take s"ch deligh
70 in horrors?"
- "Oh, no. no! It's the name you
- like, my masters? But they know tha
IS and III not tell you. publish n
ID autobiography till Pm racked for i
~ 'Tisn't safe Walls have ears. an
va recanting in the instrument room
so where they've got sawdust on the foo
remember-is wearisome to the fesl
rs But" he added with evil glee. you
If know that better by and by
al A shudder of loathing ran throug
lf me at his words, and trembled as
he man does when the demon OF fea
RI takes hold of him. And yet do NJ
iii usually show it when l am afraid. B,
this man was very high priest {
ng horror.
ad well, friend" said Alec after
cd moments silence, "at least you wi
90 come to the light and let us have loo
m at you. There's no danger in that
" "Oh, no, no! Been gazing at the da
IS light, have you? Eyes not attuned
Nd. the darkness, eh? All, ha, ha! II
nd noble Spaniard will teach you how
at see like barn owls before you've drul
down all the gentle medicine for si'
vn souls that they will offer you. Are "
he tough, my masters?"
A bony claw seized me by the lie
va and could feel the hard fingers pres
,ya ing into my flesh like iron talons.
,,,s ..Ho no! Good! GoodH' he cried
no he felt the toll hardened muscle
lin Here are good, stout thews and 81
~, ews to be tamed!" And he rubbed
70 hands and tangled his letters joyous
of They'll not set the little pot belli
IA knave to man the handspike when til
lay you on the rack. You'll have
nd greater honor 1t will be the tall lus
,o+ one with cross eyes. | used to llnt
10 his stroke well. All, me! Pm getti