The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-09-25
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CAPTIYES.


Upon the conclusion of breakfast 1
saw Enid Vaughan cast significant
glance toward her brother; I had OBJ
served that not once had she spoken
to, or even looked in the direction OF,
Sir Arthur.
What is to be done with the prison
ers shut up there, sir?" asked Owain.
Ought they not receive food?"
My uncle started, as if from a rev.
erie, but did not raise his eyes as he
answered, IT have formed my plans for
dealing with them, and things are in
train"
"And what is the first ster?"
'To secure them in bonds. that they
may do us no further mischief"
He rose as he spoke, and went from
the room, OWain and I followed him
at once. He made for the courtyard,
and by the instant information of
OWain, who was uneasy when anything
was said in my presence which l did
not understand, I was enabled to fol-
low perfectly every incident which now
took place.
Hal" cried Sir Arthur, in a tone Of
satisfaction, and we saw the two
marksmen, Evan and Mocyn, each
posted at q window with the muzle
Of his piece between the bars, and
pointing inward.
"Are they going to shoot the poor
WTelCQ6S III their pT1SO1l = dSheu
II don't think So" replied Owain,
but certainly cannot answer for what
he is going to do with Them
Owain's tone showed that he put but
little faith in my uncle's mercy, and we
continued to follow the latter as he
walked toward the nearer window.
A glance through the unglazed iron
bars showed that the captives were SIX
in number. Bitter as was the season,
hai, ok
a few rags, and they lay on the stone
floor Of the large, low room as COM
! posedly as a man lies on a bed. -Four
of them were lying down, the other
two were leaning against the wall,
blinking carelessly at the muskets
pointed directly upon them. Mocyn
| and Evan had watched their opportun.
| ity, slipped the guns in at the window,
and hidden them remain as they Were
offering to shoot the first man that
| moved. So the pixies, which were their
only weapons, save for large, savage
knives, lay on the floor as they had
placed them, and they slept or stared
idly about them, awaiting, with an ap
pearance Of perfect unconcern, the
! pleasure of their captors
Sir Arthur counted them over and
over again, drawing deep breaths of
satisfaction. Then he put his face close
to the bars and began speaking in
sharp clear tones. He made a short
speech, and paused He spoke again,
and I recognized the same sounds. He
! paused once more.
HE is bidding them submit them
selves to be pinioned, one at time, or
they shall be shot down as they stand
whispered Owain in my ear. HE is
ALSO" and this was said very drily,
making them a great quantity Of
promises, which I don't" Owain
stopped in little confusion, and I
look ed upon the prisoners. One Of them
was long, lean, elderly man, and the
others, without a word having been
| spoken among them, all turned their
| eyes upon him. Sir Arthur began
speaking again, but instantly stopped
as the tall man Strengthened himself
from the wall, flung his knife to the
other side land went to the door weap-
onless. My uncle blew loud shrill
call on the whistle which hung at his
button, and the door was cautiously
. opened, and the prisoner disappeared
/ The same process was gone through
! with each Of the other five, and then we
went round to the hall, where we found
the captives ranged along a bench
Their arms were closely pinioned be-
hind, and their ankles were bound with
leathern pony shackles in such fashion
that they could move at a shutting
walk and no faster. A guard Of seven
or eight men stood over them, and
womenis faces peeped from the lower
end of the hall, eager to catch a
glimpse of the terrible Red Men of the
Dusk. The latter bore themselves with
the stoicism Of true sayages. They
barely deigned to look round them, and
4. when by chance met a glance from
one, he eyed me as colby and hardly as
if he stood in a purely Indifferent stu
alton.
4 Sir Arthur uttered few words Of
command, and the line of prisoners
with their guards was set-in motion
4 Shall we go with them?" SAID
\. Owain.
VIII the house be safe?" asked.
Several men will be left to watch it,
he. replied. and if you wish for m,
opinion, do not think we shall go far
Sir Arthur took his place between
two well-armed attendants at the heae
! of the procession, and 1t moved up tn,
mountain road, a couple of active Eel
J lows on either side Of the way search
/ ling every hollow where an enemy Nigh
!. lille concealed, a precaution against sur
prise. Owain and brought up tn
rear. Our pace was timed to that o
, | the Rbackled, shutting prisoners, AM