The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-04-19

oeuOE we nave IiEl DO
tween two swords and ought to be able
to take him alive"
master Topp," said the boatswain.
saluting with hook and forehead. "your
brains sharpening right wonderful.
| The first jacket o honest ale that vets
| my lips shall be drained to your health.
But" he added eagerly, let me fill the
cell an hold the lower alley"
"No. 1t is my plan and so my choice.
| You have the post Of honor, for 1t will
be yours to tackle Don Miguel, and n
tough customer you'll find him. But do
not kill him, Willie, If you can avoid
it."
HIM! I'm thinking shall thrust
| guard plate deep, Master Topp. You
would yourself II you'd suffered one
half o what have"
"Still spare him. He's of more worth
| to us alive than dead at present. Ate-
| erward'- l stopped. Great heavens,
It was of Inez's father that I was
speaking thus!
AYE, afterward!' growled Willie
| ~Afterward, Master Topp! There'll be
bitter reckoning when Captain Ire
| land comes. You may lay your last
| tester on that. But in the meanwhile
| Ill thrust as daintily as the don will
let me-"
picked my way down the windings
Of the passage in the serpent's body
with the intention Of finding out what
the Spaniards were doing up above and
| II possible of enticing them to come
down from the wall and attack me in
the narrow path. But when reached
| the entrance heard the voices of Don
Sancho and a couple of others just
above me, so crept into the cell to lis
ten.
He first of all suggested to the sol.
diers that they should go first, but they
hung back and seemed inclined to
| argue the question. Now. the chasm
was far too uncanny for the handy leg
ged don to enter himself, so lie settled
| matters by sending Off one of the men
| for the superior officer while he him.
| self pluckily remained on guard with
| the other.
| Presently Don Miguel came and,
| swapping out few caustic words
about poltroolery, cowardice and the
| like, dropped, sword in hand, through
the opening and strobe along the alley.
1t would have been easy to run him
| through as he passed had l been so
minded; but, hoping that Willie Treha-
lion would take him at his leisure and
with n reasonably whole skin. lay
| quiet and let him pass.
His followers trailed on leisurely
enough, and their leader must have
climbed the greater way up the stair
before l stabbed the first Of them. The
second played me n couple of passes.
and by the time he rolled over Don
Sancho, who came next. was in full
flight down the passage. l sped after
him, but he was too quick for me and
sprang up among his fellows. The
whole crowd then made threatening
demonstrations against me. but not
hero of them would accept civil inyi;
man % to man.
| 1t was just like bear pit. | was the
bear at the bottom, who could not get
at the yapping hounds above without
being slain, while they did not dare to
descend and bait me. And so, seeing
that one Of them had unslung his ar
quebus and was fixing its crutch and
blowing his match for shot, | left
them to amuse one another and went
to see how Willie Trehalion had Jared
with Don Miguel.
Their struggle must have been n
short one, for when l came up to the
chamber in the snakes head l fonnahf
tho cnoniord ,r,no ON moor with
.ho ,a,,o.-asure Of the boatswa1n
perched on his stomach. The victor had
bare brown foot on each Of his enc
my's arms. while in his only hand he
held, with significant Intention, Don
Miguers own jewel hilted misericorde.
1t was q most refreshing sight.
"You be back soon. Master Topp,"
said Willie without turning his head.
"We have just this very minute decid-
ed who should sit uppermost."
At this the Spaniard drew back bis
lips in an evil smile, showing two rows
of yellow teeth that protruded outward
like q calf's. and thought his face tht
most devilish and fearsome my eye:
had ever fallen upon. Then. as If sud
| denly recollccting himself, he closed hi
mouth, smiled and lay before us pale
perfect Apollo. The suddenness of tn
! change sent a cold shudder through
met smacked so much Of magic. Th
g.. boatswain, too, was plainly not littl
disconnected, for he set to wor
. scratching his bare, shining poll Wit
: the hook. q sure sign that he was puz
+ zled, and presently. still without tax
,. ing his, eye from the prisoner. he raj
q ped out:
- "Best kill him at once, Master Topl
II for fear Of accidents"
- a flicker of fear passed quickly owe
:, the Spaniard's face at the words. b'
Il It was only a flicker and 10 an tnstaI
n. 1t wac gone.