Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-23

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leone a moment too late:"- Costa said.
II should have killed herr Kissed.
II believe you would"
II was fool not to do It tho night
she attempted to plunge dagger into
me-"
You WERE" he answered.
He evidently had no doubt what he
himself would have done under SINH
lar circumstances.
Fortunately the blows had missed
my eyes, on one side by less than
quarter Of an inch. Had she struck q
little higher had not lived to write
this history. ! should have persisted
miserably on the rack. For before me
I had work which required keen sight.
although | did not know It just then.
As it was. the blows had struck deep.
laying one cheek open to the bone. I
carry the mark to this day. an angry
fame across my face. am never like.
| " to forget the woman who put 1t
there. Under 'Costa's care. however.
the wounds healed rapidly. He had an
herbal ointment which did wonders,
but it seemed mockery that |. who
was 50 soon to be tortured to death.
should be SO carefully tended for what
was, after all. a minor evil
when is my day coming, Costa" l
asked. 1T is weary work waiting"
He shook his head.
1T has been longer than expected"
be answered.
"Can that woman do me any harm
with the execut1oners, l mean? She
threatened that she would pay them
well IL they turned the levers slowly
enough"
"You may trust them. They are not
made Of sentimental STUFF and think
more of one man than they do Of a
hundred women"
I satisfied myself every morning that
Daria was still safe. putting Costa on
bis oath to be truthful to me.
One evening my dungeon door
opened and Costa entered with Organ
and guard Of half a dozen men.
by his majesty's command you
will tomorrow be questioned as to your
knowledge Of various matters his maj
esty wishes Information upon. You
will be questioned in such manner as
shall insure the truth. and since there
ts no limit to the mercy his majesty
may extend toward you you are ad.
vised to answer quickly. But since
certain knowledge has come to his
majesty's ears concerning you-that by
nature or by arti6ce your limbs are
coarser than IL usual with men and
that by reason of this and other causes
you may not be induced to speak truly.
the pain able to be inflicted not being
suflcient-and since It is considered
necessary to strike where there is
most likelihood Of success It Is his
majesty's pleasure that you shall first
be taken from this dungeon to that of
the woman sometimes called the
Princess Daria and shall there be a
witness Of her questioning"
Costa recited the sentence in mono
tone without feeling. as though the
matter were Of no real interest to him.
Then he gave a word Of command to
the guard. who tramped out Of the cell
and left me alone with Costa and
Organ.
'"That she devil Ii responsible for
this"
He nodded.
''Can I trust the execut1oners?
Eyes. She will die quickly. but
he paused.
"Wellr
III this woman or Count Vasca or
some other special enemy Is there
they may say that the executioners
bungled at their work and demand
that others shall deal with you. There
would be no time to make friends with |
them"
$50 long as she dies quickly care
not"
You are a brave man. trust all
may 60 well with you"
He held out his hand. l shook it
and thanked him for all he had done
He had indeed been a gentle jailer.
uSu ~ kSy0u uCIO wv 0AS AoAA'
took It for the sake Of the past
There is long night before you"
said Costa. "Shall I stay with you for
awhile. or would you sooner be alone?"
At that moment organ grasped my |
hand sharply. There was no doubt |
about it this time. What did he mean?
IT would be alone,' said.
Costa bowed ceremoniously AZ he
left the dungeon. and Organ as he |
followed him turned for an instant |
and smiled. I was expected to under
stand something by the pressure. and
by his smile imagined had made
the right answer to Costa's question.
But. after all. what could the Irish
man do for me. even If be really |
wished to help me at this late hour? |
A sudden fear took possession Of me.
which made my limbs shake AZ though
the palsy were in them. For an hour
Il may have been morefear shook mo.
Ny enemies would have rejoiced could
they have spied upon me during that