Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-08
CHAPTER XIV.
The Appeal

ture, with its little iron-barred windows
and it's steel-ribbed doors. behind which
lay their countrymen. From inside came
the echo of a great bammerinS. as IL a
gallowS were being erected, hut the
square and the streets outside were quiet.
What time Is it now" Oliveta had re-
peated this question already a dozen
times
1T is after TO-
81 hear nothing as yet. do you!
Nothing
I'VE could hear IL it were not for that
dreadful pounding yonder in the jail =.
Hush! They are building barricades
The peasant girl gasped and seized the
iron railing in front OF her.
Madonna mia. l am dying Do you
think Signore Blake will yield to your APP
peal and turn from the mob?'
I'm afraid not" said Vittoria. faintly.
HE can do more than any other, Tor
he is powerful: they Will listen 10 hini;
If Caesar should escape! ] am shamed
through and through to have loved such
a man, and yet to have him killed like
rat in q hole! I pray, and l know not
what pray for-my thoughts are whiri-
ing so. Do you hear anything from the
city?'
mo. no.
barricades will not allow them to enter.
even II our friend does not persuade them
to disperse.''
II have heard there is sometimes shoot
ing" vittoria shuddered. 1T is terrible
for men to become brutes.
THE time is growing late. ohveta
quayered. There was another period Oh
silence, while they strained their ears
for the faintest sound, but the fresh
breeze waited nothing to them On a
neighboripg gallery two housewives were
gossiping; a child was playing on the
walk beneath and his piping laughter
sounded strangely incongruous. From
across the way rose that desultory pound
ing as spikes were driven home ana
beams were nailed in place: Through
armed man peered down the street.
Caesar is cunning" Oliveta broke out
HE Is not one to be easily caught. he
is brave, too. All, God: how l loved MN
and how I have hated him. Ever since
Marufi's capture she had remained in a
frame of mind scarcely rational. fluctuat-
ing between a silent sullen mood OF re-
venge and a sense Of horror at her be-
trayal Of the man who had once possess
ed her whole heart.
"It can't be that you still care TOT
him.
"No: I loathe him. and If he escaped
he would surely kill me- Yet, sometimes
l wish IT, She began mumbling to her
self. Look" she cried, suddenly. what
is this?'
"A
its horses at a gallcp. 1t drew up be-
fore the main gate Of the prison, a man
leaped forth and began pounding for ad-
mittance. Some one spoke to him through
what does he say?' queried the
II cannot hear Perhaps he comes to
say there is no Mother OF Cod.
Listen!'
From somewhere toward the heart OF
the city came a faint murmur.
1T Is the rumble OF a wagon on the
next street." gasped Oliveta.
The sound died away. The girls stood
frozen at attention, with their senses
strained. Then 1t rose again, louder.
Soon there was no mistaking 1t. A WINS.
per came upon the breeze. it mounted
into long-drawn humming. which. in
turn, grew to q steady drone OF voices
broken by waves of cheering. 1t gather
ed volume rapidly, and struggling figures
came running into view. followed by
knots and groups of fieet-footed youths.
The driver OF the carriage rose on his
box, looked over his shoulder. then whip
ped his horses into galiop and fed. AS
he did so a slowly moving wagon laden
with timbers turned in from side street.
It was driven by a somnolent negro.
who finally halted his team and stared In
dull lack Of comprehension at what he
saw approaching.
BY now the street beneath the two girls
was half filled with people. it echoed to
babble Of voices. to the shuttle and
tread Of a coming multitude. and an in
slant later out of every thoroughfare
which fronted upon the grim. old prison
structure streamed the people Of New
Orleans
fingers sunk into her sisters wrist.
Then through the press came body
Of silent men, four abreast and shoulder
to shoulder. The crowd opened to let
them through, cheering frenz.edly. They
wore an air of sober responsibility, they
carried guns and looked neither to the
right nor left. Directly beneath the wait
ing women they passed. and at their head
marched Norvin Blake and Bernie Dreux,
together with two men unknown to the
girls.
Vittoria leaned forward horror-stricken.
and although she tried to call she did
not hear her voice above the confusion:
Oliveta clutched her. murmuring dis
tractedly.
The avenues were jammed from curb to
curb; telegraph poles. lamp posts. trees
held burden of human forms: windows
and housetops were filling in every direc-
ton: continuous roar beat thunderous-
ly against the prison walls.
The armed vigilantes drew up before
the main gate and a man smote it with
the butt Of his shotgun. demanding en-
trance. The crowd. anticipating a volley
from within, surged back. leaving them
isolated. dozen bluecoats struggled to
clear the sidewalks next the structure.
but they might as we'll have tried to
stem rising tide with their naked
hands: they were buffeted briefly, then
swallowed up.
In answer to a command the armed
men scattered, surrounding the building
with @ Gordon Of steel, then the main
body renewed its assault. But the Oaken
barrier. stoutly reinforced. withstood
them CALAMITY. and brief colloquy &C.
Cured, after which they made their way
to a small side door which directly faced
the two women across the street. This
was not so heavily constructed as the
trance, but it was likewise locked and
barred. Then some one Spied the wagon
and its load OF timbers now hopelessly
wedged into the press. and a rush was
made toward it. A beam was raised
upon willing shoulders and with this as
a battering ram a breach was begun.
Every crash was the signal for a shout
from the multitude. and when the door
finally gave way q triumphant roar
arose. The armed men swarmed into the
opening and disappeared one by one: all
but two. who stood with their backs to
1t was evident that some sort Of order
prevailed among them. and that this was
more than an unorganized assault.
Through the close-packed ranks. on and
on around the massive pile ran the word
that an entrance had been effected: 1t
was telegraphed from housetop to house
top. Then a silence descended. the more
sinister and ominous because of the PAN
demonium which had preceded it.
Thus far Vittoria and her companion
had seen and heard all that occurred.
for their position commanded a view Of
both fronts Of the building. but now they
had their ears alone to guide Them.
Come! Let US leave now. We have