The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-17
CHAPTER w.
REMAINED lying there,


me to collect my senses and see that /
had been a fool to threaten O'Brien.
/ had been nobly indignant, and be-
hold! I had a sack thrown over my
head for my pains, and was put away
safely somewhere or other. 1t seemed
to be a cellar.
1 was in search of romance, and here
were all the elements; Spaniards, a
conspirator. and a kidnapping; but I
couldn't feel a fool and romantic as
well. True romance, 1 suppose, needs
a whirl of emotions to extinguish all
the senses except that of sight, which
1t dims. Except for sight, which
hadn't at all, I had the use of them
all, and all reported unpleasant things.
l waited, and my fury grew in a
dead silence. How would it end-with
what outrage? 1 would show my con-
tempt and preserve my dignity by sub
hitting without a struggle despised
this odious plot. At last there were
voices, footsteps; 1 found it very hard
to carry out my resolution and refrain
from stifled cries and kicks. I was
lifted up and carried, like a corpse,
with many stumbles, by men who
sometimes growled as they FASTENED
along. From time to time somebody
murmured Take care" Then / was
deposited into a boat. The world
seemed to be swaying, splashing, Earring
and it became obvious to me that
was being taken to some ship. The
Spanish ship, Of course. Suddenly
broke into cold perspiration at the
thought that, after all, their purpose
might be to drop me quickly overheard.
"Carlos!" cried. 1 felt the point Of a
knife on my breast silence, senor!"
said a gruff voice.
This fear vanished when we came
alongside a ship evidently already un-
der way; but 1 was handled so roughly
and clumsily that was thoroughly ex-
hauSted and out of breath, by the time
l was got on board. All was still
around me; l was left alone on a settee
in the main cabin, as l imagined. For
a long time 1 made no movement;
then a door opened and shut. There
was murmured conversation between
two voices. This went on In animated
whispers for a time. At last 1 felt as
II someone were trying, rather ineffect-
ually, to remove the sack itself Finally.
that actually did rub its way over my
head, and something soft and silken
began TO wipe my eyes with a surpris-
ing care, and even tenderness. This
was stupidity DONE" came a discon-
tented remark; you do not handle a
caballero like this"
And how else was it to be done, to
that kind of Caballero?" was the curt
report
By that time I had blinked my eyes
into a condition for remaining open
for minute stretches. Two men were
bending over me-Carlos and O'Brien
himself. The latter said:
Believe me, your mistake made this
necessary. This young gentleman was
about to become sigularly inconven-
lent, and he is in-no way harmed
He spoke in q velvety voice and
walked away gently through the dark
ness. Carlos followed with the lantern
dangling at arms length; strangely
enough he had not even looked at me-
/ suppose he was ashamed, and I was
too proud to speak to him, with my
hands and feet tied fast. The door
closed, and 1 remained sitting in the
darkness.
l turned my head to a click, I saw
a door open a little way, and the small
blue flame Of a taper f1oated into the
room. The light shone redly through
protecting fingers and upward on to a
small face. 1t came to a halt, and
made out the figure of a girl leaning
across table looking upward. There
was click Of glass, and a great blaze
of light created a host Of shining things
A large silver lamp she had lighted
kept on swinging to the gentle motion
of the ship.
She stood just in front of me; the
girl that I had seen through the door;
the girl that had seen play with the
melon seeds. She was breathing fast
it agitated me to be alone with her
and she had little shining dagger
in her hand
She cut the rope round my ankles.
and mOtioned me imperiously to turn
round.
Your hands-your hands!"
L turned my back awkardly to
her, and felt the grip of small cool.
very firm fingers upon my wrists. My
arms fell apart, numb and perfectly
useless; L was half aware of pain in
them, but 1t passed unnoticed among
a cloud of other emotions 1 didn't
feel my fnger-tips because I had the
agitation, the fiutter, the rehabilitation
of looking at her.
ASK nothing" she said, hurriedly.
Inc land IS not far yet. You can
escape. Carlos thought. But
no! You would only perish for moth
Ing Go with Cod" She pointed i'm
perlously towards the square stern
posts of the cabin
"Go-go-go with God" the girl
whispered urgently. There is a
boat"
l made motion to rise; I wanted to
go. But 1 could not stand, though
the blood was returning, warm and
tingling, in my legs and hands. She
looked at me with a sharp frown
puckering her brows a little; beat a
hasty tattoo with one of her feet. and
cast startled glance towards the for
ward doors that led on deck.
Your life hangs on thread" she
murmured
1 answered, you have given it to
me. Shall 1 never I was acuteIv
conscious of the imperfection of NV
language.
She looked at me sharply; then low
cred her lids. Afterwards she raised
them again. Think of yourself.
Every moment is"
u will be as quick as 1 can" I said.
THAT man thinks he can DESTROY
you L hate him-I detest him! Won
have seen how he treats my father!"
1t struck me, like a blow, that she
was merely avenging O'Brien's inso-
1ence to her father. 1 had been kid
mapped against Don Balthasar Riego's
will. 1t gave me very well the meas
ure Of the old mans powerIessness in
the face of his intendant-who was