The Huttig news., 1917-05-19

SiVe you drlnk 0f water.
 What capers!"
 When you've drunk enough you'll tell me why you killed your employer and where General Longorio has taken ais wife. Yes, and everything else l want to know" Seizing the amazed Mexican, Dave flung him upon Mo rales' hard board bench, and in spite of the fellows struggles deftly made hila fast. When he had finished-and il was no easy job-Jose lay Spread eagled" upon his back. his wrists ana ankles firmly bound to the corners and foot posts, his body secured by tight loop over his waist. The rope cut painfully and brought curse from the prisoner when he strained at il. Law surveyed him with face of stone.
 .I don't want to do this" he de clared, but l know your kind. l give you one more chance. Will you tell me?"
 Jose drew his lips back in snarl of rage and pain, and Dave realized that further words were useless. He felt a certain pity for his victim and no little admiration for his courage, but such feelings were of small consequence as against his agonizing fears fol Alaire's safety Had he in the least nouDted Jose's guilty knoHfedge Ot Longorio's intentions, Dave would have hesitated before employing the bar barous measures he had in mind. but there was nothing else for it. He pulled the canteen cork and damned the mouthpiece firmly to loses lips. Clos ing the fellows nostrils with his free hand. he forced him to drink.
 Jose clenehed his teeth. he tried to roll his head, he held his breath until his face grew purple and his eyes bulged. He strained like a man upon the rack. The bench creaked to his muscular contortions the rope tight ened. It was terribly cruel, this crush Ing of a strong will bent on resistance to the uttermost; but never was an executioner more pitiless, never did a prisoners agony receive less consid- eratiOn. The warm water spilled over Jose's face, 1t drenched his neck and chest; his joints creaked as he strove for freedom and tried to twist his head out of Laws iron grasp. The seconds dragged, until finally nature asserted herself. The imprisoned breath burst forth; there sounded loud gurglng cry and a choking inhalation. loses body writhed with the convulsions of drowning as the water and air were sucked into his lungs. Law was kneel- ing over his victim now. his weight and strength so applied that Jose had no liberty of action and could only drink, coughing and fighting for air. Some how he managed to revive himself briefly and again shut his teeth but a moment more and he was again retched with the furious battle for air more desperate now than before. After a while Law freed his victims nestrils and allowed him partial breath, then once more crushed the mouthpiece against his lips. By and by, to relieve his torture, Jose began to drink in great noisy gulps, striving to empty the vessel.
 But the stomach's capacity Is lim- ited. In time Jose felt himself burst ing; the liquid began to regurgitate. This was not mere pain that he siif- fered. but the ultimate nightmare hor- TOT of death more awful than anything he had ever imagined. Jose would have met q bullet, knife, a lash, with oh aa, T served to weaken his resolve: but this slow drowning was infinitely worse than the worst he had thought pos sible; he was suffoeating by long, black, agonizing minutes. Every nerve and muscle of his body, every cell in his bursting lungs. fought against the outrage in purely physical frenzy over which his will power had no con- trol. Nor would insensibility come to his relief-Law watched him too care 1 fully for that. He could not even voice his sufferings by shrieks he could only writhe and retch and gurgle while the ropes bit into his flesh and his captoI knelt upon him like monstreus stone weight.
 But Jose had made better fight than he knew. The canteen ran dry al last, and Law was forced to release his hold.
 "Will you speak?' he demanded.
 Thinking that he had come safely through the ordeal. Jose shook, his head he rolled his bulging, bloodShor eyes and vomited, then managed to cal God to witness his innocence.
 Dave went into the next room anC refilled the canteen. When he re appeared with the dripping vessel 1T his hand, Jose tried to scream. Bu his throat was torn and strained; th' sound of his own voice frightened ltim
 Once more the torment began. Th' tortured man was weaker now, and il consequence he resisted more feebly but not until he was less than half con scious did Law spare him to recover.
 Jose lay sick, frightened, inert. Day' watched him without pity. The fcl