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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1900)
30 THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, MARCH 18, 1900. TMJTLE oftfe WINDS By J.COCiTr - PiftureS by G.A.SffiPLEY Synopsis of Previous Chapters. Sir James Stanofleld. of New Mllns, In com pany -with his grandnon, young Philip, meets in an lnnhouse his son Itillip nnd his son's paramour. Janet Mark. Ther quarrel. Sir James goes home, taklnr along: hla grandson. That night he la murdered by his dissolute eon and Janet Mark. They take his body outside and lay It on an ice floe. In the effort to fasten the crime on other shoulders. Bat the boy Philip has witnessed the crime. He tells his grandfather's chief tenant. Umphray Spur way, and Spurway succeeds In having the real murderer brought to Justice. He la sentenced to be hanged, and his woman accomplice to be transported. Mysteriously, rhlllp Stansfleld es capes the gallows, seeks out hla wife, finds her In the company of Spurway, nnd tries to mur der her. but does not quite succeed. She Is taken away to Abercalrn for sure, leaving her eon. young Philip. In charge of Spurway and In the company of little Anna Mark, from whom he learns that In some ways girls are worth quite as much as boys. For example. In the time of the cattle droving, when Master Spurway bought hla winter beasts in the mart. Anna beat Philip In heljnns" to cut them ouU Still, they are excellent friends, even though ehe beats him at her studies in the school to which they go together. John Stansfleld, Phil ip's lawyer-uncle, brings In a new teacher. Dominie Rlngrose, a small man. with wonder ful eyes. Shortly after his coming the country side Is chocked and thrilled with a number of bloody and mysterious murders, evidently for the sake of robbery. Business calls Umphray Spurway from home. In his absence a big packing case, purporting to be full of flne Spanish wool. Is delivered to Will Bowman, Umphrays clerk. He puts It In the weaving rihed. That night Philip, playing about it. sees shining through the gauze of the packing case a pair of eyes. He calls Will -Bowman, who counts three, then stabs the packing case with a small sword. Blood flows. They open the ea, and find Dominie Rlngroee Inside, ap parently dead. Shortly After the house Is at tacked by robbers, whom. Rlngrose had mennt to let In. They are beaten off, but afterwards Philip's mother refuses to let him spend the holidays at New Mllns. Returning from a day's visit to New Mllns, Philip falls In with Saul Mark. Anna's gypsy fattier, who. under pre tense of showing him Sir Harry Morgan's treasure, makes him a prisoner. Anna finds out his plight, and leads Umphray Spurway on hla track. By the help ot nls silent partner. Provost Gregory Parian. Saul Mark, super cargo of the ship Corramantee. Imprisons both Anna and Spurway, robbing Spurway of much money and a portrait of Philip's mother. Philip, the elder, who is In league with Saul Mark, takes the portrait and sends young Philip away. Leaving Spurway Imprisoned, Philip Stansfleld the elder goes out In Spur way's cloak to his wife' house, and by threats dnduces her to go aboard the Corramantee. Anna and Philip make friends with Eborra. He ehows them the secrets of the Island, and where Sir Harry Morgan's treasure Is, guarded by Fer-de-lance, and his hosto. Eborra has scented a boat, in which he plans to escape with Anna, Philip, Mrs. Stansfleld and his mother; also Will Bowman, who Is In the pirates' clutches. The pirates sail away with two or three ships, but a new difficulty arises It is Mrs. Stans- field's fear to trust herself in the boat. At last ehe Is persuaded. The boat starts, encounters other pirates, but Is towed safe away by a monster devilfish. The boat reaches Puerto Rico .In safety, and its Inmates approach a convent, asking help. '(Copyright, 1898, under the name of "Little Anna Mark." by S. R. Crockett.) (Copyright, 1800. by S. R. Crockett.) CHAPTER XXXVII. (Continued.) Now I lay -watching the stars and listen ins to the rushing of our boat through the water. By moving slightly I could let Anna rest more easily on my shoulder, and at the same time watch the great Jlsh darting tirelessly along underneath us. The jolly-boat did not always ad vance at the same speed or even In the same direction. And it may have been Imagination or reality, but true It Is that whenever Eborra' s mother, crouched prone In the stem like on Infernal figurehead carved In den&est ebony, thrust out a hand to right or left, I saw the great devil-fish swerve from its course, like a horse that answers the bridle. And at this a shiver ran through all my bones, and even Anna, lying warm and soft against my shoulder, could haraly bring back the heat to my heart. So all througfc. the night we swept on and on The water about us swayed and slept as If It had been a child's cradle hooded by a vault of stars. "We were no more the center of a whole school of the demon-fish. The rest had long ago stayed their course or turned aside. But this one, devil-possessed or compelled by some dour resolution of its own nature, rushed onward tirelessly. Now It slack ened a little, and anon started forward again with a sudden tightening Jerk, which brought the heart Into the mouth, as with a plunging surge the bows of the Jolly-boat were pulled welPnlgh under neath tho water. I might have thought that "Will Bow man also slept, had it not been for the occasional dip of his steering oar. which, however, for the most part he let trail behind him, useless as a duck's broken wing. "It is nigh to the hour of the zombis!" said Eborra, behind me, speaking in a whisper, with his lipe close to my ear. "And what are the zombis?" I asked him, without moving, for I could not alter my position for fear of disturbing Anna. "They are the spirits of the dead," he answered, solemnly. "They come when my mother calls them. It Is they who have entered into the devil-fish; soon they will depart. You shall see!" 3 So in a kind of quivering awe, which may have been partly the effect of the chill of the night and partly the wind caused by our rapid transit, I waited. The speed of our boat seemed to grow greater. I could see the two smooth, wing-like Jets of water from our bows stand up six inches at least above the planking. "We had assuredly all gone to the bottom had our jolly-boat been of the ordinary sort. But she was exceedingly broad in the beam, and shed the waves freely to either side of her, like a bluff-bowed sea-coal bark from Newcastle plunging round the Nore with the wind stiff at her tall. I knew not what I expected to see, but at all events I was ready for any spectral manifestation. Yet the zombis delayed. A strange, unnatural light, changing from pale green to Jivld red, rose out of the sea ahead of us. "We heard a roaring be hind us. like a mighty wind among the trees of the forest, whereat Anna awoke with a start of fear and looked up In my face, crying, '"What is it, Philip? "What is It?" "Look! Look!" answered Eborra, point ing behind us. as it were, over "Will Bow man's shoulder. The stars, twinkling many-colored through the dewy tropic night, were blotted out by a dark-peaked shape that advanced rapidly upon us, Bushing1 a,, black cloud upward to the zenith. An uneasy wnwi awoke and blew furious, sudden-ceasing gusts, this way and that. Yet still we sped on, and the dark mass pursued us. "It is a waterspout! God help us!" groaned Will Bowman, pulling the hood further over my mother's head, that she might not see. "Do not fear," answered Eborra; "it is also Obeah!" Even as he spoke the dark mass ap peared suddenly to divide and pass to eith er hand of us. Then, for the first time, I perceived that as it went the sea ridged upward in its path, and then sank again like a whipped dog. The old witch woman had risen to her feet now, and stood as she had done at the first blotting out of that strange, changeful band of light to the north. The Jolly-boat lay, as It were, in an eyot of still, black water, while all around were roaring floods and fickle, tormented water. Tho twin dark shap2s swept past as swiftly as if we had been standing still. All was whirling vapor about thorn, and they looked most like a pair of gigantic hour glasses, spinning like a boy's top about to fall. And as they had divided behind us, so tho waterspouts (If indeed such they were, and not demons of the deep raised as the witch of Endor raised Samuel out of the abyss), began to ap proach each other ahead of us. It seemed as If we must rush upon them to our de struction. Then Eborra also stood up, and, with his face all shining with the ruddy light out of the north, he, too, held up his arms. I could see the iron hook sharp and black against the bright sky. "Hear us, great Voodoo!" he cried? "hear us, spirit of power! We are thy priests, thy papilol! Let the spirits of the dead return to their place!" Then suddenly, with a flare that blinded us, the levin bolt leaped from cloud to cloud. The thunderclap deafened our ears. The black shapes sank down as by magic. And out of a heaving sea of milk, curdled on the top with winking foam bells, there seemed to rise strange shapes that floated upward and hovered and van ished. Batlike they were, and yet strange ly human In suggestion. We watched them open-mouthed. "They are but the mist or spray from the falling of the waterspout!" murmured Will Bowman, speaking as if to reassure himself. For so the Englishman had taught him to regard ghostly things. But even I knew better. "We thank thee, Voodoo! Great and worthy shall thy sacrifice be!" cried Ebor ra, still standing up, erect as a spear stuck In the ground, though the boat was now heaving over the suddenly raised waves of the milky sea. Then Eborra turned to Will Bowman. "Steer," he said imperiously, as if he had been the master of us all; "keep her head to the north!" I looked over the side. The boat was no more rushing along with the double Jet of spray whimpering from her bows. She lay heaving Idly on the creaming sea of curd, and trembling a little all over, like a horse which has run a race. "Tho devil-fish is gone!" I cried joy fully. "The spirits have departed upward, and tho beast has gone to his own place!" an swered Eborra. I looked again at the witch woman. She had bent over the verge and was now pulling In, hand over hand, the anchor chain she had let down In the morning, when wo were pursued by the pirates' boat. As she hauled in the dripping slack she laughed a laugh hard and metallic as the rattling of the links as they fell from her hand into the bottom of the boat, CHAPTER XXXVIIL The Chain Ganff. When the true morning broke we saw before us the end of the sea adventure. Directly in front the blue and purple mountain ranges of a continent or great island rose out of the ocean. To east and west the shore line extended, edged with an endless line of surf, save only where some cavern bit a hole in the white sea roller, and sent forth In token of victory a noise like the lowest notes of a trumpet. The sun shone on a pallid company as he set his fiery forehead above tho ocean. Only my mother was at all like herself. She awoke later than the rest of us, hav ing slept soundly through the night. She sat up, blushing like a girl to find her self in the presence of so many, and as by instinct her hands went upward to her hair. I think she conceived that its braids might have been disordered by the hood of tho cloak in which it had been nestled. "I crave your pardons," she said gent ly; "are we nearly home?" I know not whether she had a vision of Great Marlow and the pleasant woods of Cliveden over against it, or whether she thought of our little whitewashed house at the quay corner of Abercorn. Most likely, however, she was only dazed with sleep and uncertain what she said, speak ing at random with being so suddenly awakened. Will Bowman helped her up to a seat beside him, where she could feel the soft fanning breath of the trade wind. "We are near land," he answered; "the peril of the night is quite passed away!" "What peril?" she asked with surprise. For, Indeed, she knew none. "The devil-fish is gone," he said quietly, "you are quite safe." "I am hungry," she answered, speak ing more than ever like a child. And I think her words reminded all of us that it was many hours since we had touched sustenance of any kind. Then it was that Eborra became the servitor he had been aforetime quick, silent and serviceable. He was here and there with dried meat (which he shaved thin with his knife), rye bread, and the milk of the cocoanut served in half ot its own shell. Eborra had waited on even' one before he would consent to bite a crust himself. As for the witch-wife, she lay in a seeming trance in the bows of the boat, her head on a small coil of rope, and the end of the chain, all chafed and pol ished, still clasped in her hand. Suddenly my mother paused, with a bit of bread half-way to her lips. "We have not said a blessing!" sbe cried, "and after what we have gone through! Shame on you, Philip. . Say a grace at once!" But being taken, at a short and with a great chunk of bucan (or dried West India meat) between my jaws. I could think on nothing except the beginning of the Lord's prayer, and that I knew well would not serve me. So I only choked and was silent. At the same time Will Bow man had great trouble with his steering oar, turning him about and looking over the stern of the boat. "Think shame of you all." my mother cried, shaking one slender forefinger at us; '"you are not thankful to a merciful I will e'en say tho blessing And with that she bowed her head and did so. Eborra, with a curious look on his face, uncovered him of his broad-brimmed pal- j metto hat, and we (that Is, Will and I) awkwardly enough followed his example, Then, with a reproving stare around at us all, my mother went on with her breakfast, only complaining a little of the taste of the water, which, as I have said, had been put fresh from the spring upon the Isle of the Winds Into the two foreign liquor casks wo had stolen from j the beach. Then after this we fell to our oars, and made good progress toward the land, THE 3IONK CAST The water still heaved after the storm ot the night, but the milky and curded ap pearance was clean gone. Only a slight cloudiness In the blue of the sea re minded us of the perils we had passed. The coast lay before us very plain to see. It seemed as If we must reach it In an hour. Yet It was late afternoon be fore we passed the islands, which guarded tho entrance to the yet unseen harbor. Two great cliffs stood up on either hand, bare and steep to the xop, save for the strange growths, tufted and prickly, which clung to every crevice and drooped from every crag. Each one of us expected to see a settle ment within as we glided through the opening; but when we rounded the las: point none appeared. The bay was girt by the unbroken wall of the tropic forest. We had left behind us the rollers thunder ing carelessly on the outer cliffs. Within the narrows of the strait these still moved forward with an oily motion, spreading greatly Into a fan-shape as the harbor opened out. As we entered this place and saw the free wind-blown Carib sea shut behind us, a greater fear fell upon our company than had possessed us when we were be ing towed we knew not whither by tho devil-fish. A strange silence brooded all about us. The drumming of the breakers upon the reefs without dulled itself into a far away sough. There was not a breath of air. It was a relief when a huge bumble bee, six times the size of those about New Milns, blundered Into the boat and then clumsily blundered out again, boom ing away, undismayed and lusty, toward the green forest wall. We looked about for some landing place, but for a while saw none. Every where a tangle of roots and leaves, creep ers and twining vines grew riotously down to the edge of the water. The waves hissed and sucked among the slimy roan grove stilts, upon which, in hideous array, sat thousands of horrid vultures, motion less, as If they, too, were part oj inani mate Nature. Such was my mother's horror of these foul birds, which sat with drooping wing in strained attitudes upon the grcen sllmed roots and bedropped rotting branches, that nothing would do but we must pull out again and follow the curves of the shore, seeking another landing place. At last Eborra, who had gone to tho stem of the Jolly boat, pointed with his hook. "Enter there," he said; "a boat has passed that way not long ago." The place, to our unaccustomed eyes, certainly did not look promising. It was merely a low, broad ditch, choked with green vegetation. Gray mudbanks sloped down to the water's edge, and there was a smell of rotting leaves every where about. "That Is fresh water!" said Eborra, And soon we were pushing our way. Will Bowman and I, through the rust ling leaves of the water lilies, which, all twitcning witn me, pulled as eagerly away from us. Several times the boat was brought completely to a standstill, hut Eborra leaned over and pulled us loose with his hook. In a quarter of an nour we were iree, emerging into a clear, amber-colored creek, bordered by solemn aisles of cypress trees. Suddenly Anna Mark gripped my arm with one hand and pointed forward with the other. "Look! look! Philip; there is a man!" she whlnpered eagerly. I looked as I was bidden, and there, sure enough, at the end of a trodden path, which ended in a little landing place between tufts of the plant known as "Spanish bayonets," stood a man as tall of 6tature and gray .of beard as though he, too. had grown up along with the cypress trees and had acquired some of the gray moss which clings like mist about their branches. Now, in all my life I had never seen anything resembling- this man, yet In- Providence, myself!" ft Mj-i & YW " e -W1s 1 stantly knew him for a popish monk. He was beyond tho stature of ordinary men, "bareheaded, and wrapped from head to foot in a long black robe, with a cord. knotted loosely about his waist. Instinctively we turned the bow of the boat toward where the man. stood, and. as we came near. Will hailed him in English. "Can we land here?" he asked. But the man made no reply, continuing to gaze fixedly at us as we advanced. Then Eborra stood up and said some thing In a language sweet and melan choly of sound, which I guessed to be Spanish, And at this the man slowly lifted his hand and pointed to a low bank, as if to guide our boat thither. Eborra continued to speak as we ap proached, and soon we were alongside. Will leaped out first, and I helped my mother to land upon a small pier of shell marble. She, however, was so cramped with so long sitting still that she would have fallen if Will had. not caught her in his arms. Whereat very pleasantly she smiled and thanked him. The rest of us sprang out one after the other, but before coming on shore him self, Eborra handed out his mother up Into my arms. I was astonished when I took hold oi her. The old woman seemed hardly j heavier than a "bird trussed for the table, l When I had set her down, I looked around, and lo! there was my mother on her knees before the priest or monk or -whatever he was. and hU hands were stretched out over her head, which made me very unreasonably angry, for I might have remembered that my mother had few of my advantages, having been brought up among Episcopalians, who, after all, arc little better than papists. As for me, thank God, I would not kneel to any pope or papist living, Then the monk, still without speaking, watched us tie up the Jolly boat, and. motioning us with his hand, he turned him about and stalked up the path be ONE CONTEMPTUOUS GLANCE, AND tween the sentinel tufts of "Spanish bay onets." And now there wafted across us the sound of a pleasant thing the ringing of bells far away In the silence of the wood. And It came to our ears sweetly and solemnly, like the first psalm sung in the kirk on a summer sacrament morn. We followed our guide In order. First went Will and my mother Will support ing her with one arm and fending olt from her with watchful eye and ready hand the prickly plants which flourished on either side the way. I followed next with Anna. Then came Eborra and his mother. As we proceeded the sound of bells grew louder and somewhat less mellow. Then after a quarter of an hour we began to arrive. First there appeared a wide clearing in the forest.- Bearded pines and cypresses had been felled, and Instead of them young live caks whispered In friend ly fashion, like companions who take each other's arms to tell their secrets. Across this open glade we marched straight upon a stretch of lofty wall, llchened like the trees, and already weather-worn and ancient. This barrier was flanked with towers, In which the mouths; of cannon made little black O's full of purposefulness. Then came a low door, but our guide did not open It. In stead he turned to the left and skirted the long, featureless boundary wall, In which there appeared only here and there a crucifix or a little shrine of the Virgin, gay with fresh paint and gliding. At the first break in the wall we turned to the right, passed through a sort of stockade and found ourselves In a street crowded with small wooden booths and tinkling with the rln of hammers upon anvils. Our guide strode on, and we followed. But we had not gone far when a cry went up, and we began to hear the tread of feet hurrying toward us from every di rection, and to see many people running and crying to each other. Some of these were casting off blacksmiths aprons, that they might run the faster. Some (these were women with dusky faces) shrilly bade their men folk wait for them till they could come or so, at least, I Inter preted their querulous crylngs. Presently we became the center of a throng of quaint dresses, "whose wearers pushed and strove and elbowed about us. But our guide swept his staff to right and left, smiting them with the soundest of thwacks. Whereupon they fell hastily back, one treading on the toes of an other. Presently we stopped before a gate, or midway between two gates facing each other at the distance of rather more than 100 yards. Our guide turned to that on the left hand, and we followed him. He lifted a knocker shaped like a crucifix and knocked loudly. A wicket opened in the little door at the side of the larger gate, and a face looked through a face which might have been that of a marble knight upon a tomb, so strong and purposeful it seemed. For the brow was hidden In a white napkin. as though bound up for the grave, and i from the dead whiteness of the skin large dark eyes looked forth mournfully and hopelessly. I The monk said something in a low tone. and stood aside to let the guardlani of the portal see us. Then the little wicket shut to again, and behind us we heard the buzzing murmur of the crowd and the si lent breathing of many folk. We stood there for what seemed a long space, the westering sun throwing our shadows tall and black on the blazing whiteness of the wall. Then the little window was again opened, and this time another face was seen; also a pale face, and enwrapped with the same mournful swaddllngs. But the features were more delicate, and a certain quick frailty of temper had thinned the nostrils and drawn furrows across the brow. Our guide bent cour teously and began to speak. Then there ensued between them a long whispered colloquy. When this was finished, the monk turned to us and said something in Spanish, which I did not understand. "We are to retire, you and I and he," Eborra translates briefly, pointing last at Will Bowman. With much regret, and because we are helpless among so many, I let Anna go from my side, and left the three women standing together. The monk himself also stepped back, with a bow low as a rever ence before an altar. Then I heard the pallid woman behind the grating begin to speak la a low and pleasant voice, and Eborra's mother ut- tering replies In Spanish. But the words were Inaudible to me, even had I under- stood the language. Then the door opened, and first the old witch woman entered, then my mother who was so dear to me and lastly Anna, As the door shut upon the three I start ed forward, as If to go, too, but Eborra laid his hand upon my arm, and tha monk motioned us Impatiently to follow him. He turned Into the gateway to the right, uttered a word through a barred wicket, and In a moment more we found ourselves within the great walled Inclo sure of the monastery of San Juan de Brozas. And to a Northern boy the wonder of It the hourly growing surprise! I saw scores upon scores of brown-clad monks moving here and there, their dismal array laced and beaded, with black-robed priests, white acolytes and boys wearing purple undervests of silk. Curiously enough, I thought first of what Mr. John Bell would say to a sight like this. This monastery of St. John of Brozas was built throughout of a stone like coral hard, white and a little crumbly. Its form a great oblong. At one end, that oppo site to where we had entered, rose the church. The rest of the Inclosure was gal lerled and arcaded about. Shade trees sprang everywhere. Fountains spouted and plashed. Little streams were crossed by bridges small as a child's toy. The OXE ONLY, IN THE DIRECTION OF THE white walls were so aglow wlth the airy scarlet of creeper, so crowded with close ranked geranium, that It seemed as If many cardinals' robes had been, hung out to dry. Beyond the palmettos In the square, through whose leaves we caught the glint of metal, they were building something huge and white. I could see a long string of men carrying mortar in wooden boxes on their shoulders. The fierce sun sparkled upon something that connected the files and swung in mid-air between them, while to our ears came the faint tinkle of metal. The men were chained together. At that moment, from the gable of the church (a beehlve-llke prominence of which formed the belfry) a bell began to ring, and we heard the low chant, th6 words of which seemed to begin with "Ora pro nobis! Ora " and I recalled enough of my Latin to know that that meant "Pray for us!" Still we followed our guide, passing close by the chain gang. We now saw that the men were guarded by swarthy musketeers, each with a gun over his shoulder and a sword girt by his side. Gigantic negroes, armed with whips, stalked along the ranks, each with a dignity of a Nero cut in ebony. Will Bowman had fallen a little behind with Eborra, so I hastened to place my self beside the monk who had brought us thither. The hymn had put It into my head that I would try him with some of my shanty Latin. "Who are these men?" was what I tried to say. He stopped in an astonishment as great as if his ass had spoken to him. "You are a cleric," he said. And though he pronounced the words differently, yet I understood him well enough. Whereat I began to be glad that Umphray Spur way had made me learn by heart George Buchanan's Latin psalms, one each day for a. whole year, which he declared to be the only worthy literature that Scotland hath ever produced. "No, I am no cleric." I replied. It was wonderful (so I thought) how easily the speaking of Latin came to me! And on the spot I began to plume me on my talent for languages. "Convent-bred, then?" he continued, glanchlng sideways down at me. "I am. not." said I. "How, then, do you speak Latin7" I pointed silently to Will, who had come up with Eborra. We had halted under a tree, and there was now only a foun tain with many Jets between us and the chain gang. The swaying leaves and the hush of the water falling softly on wet , marble were certainly most soothing, nut somehow that continuous tinkle of swing ing links over by the new building mis liked me greatly. Also, I was anxious about my mother. The monk, on whose face there appeared never the shadow of a smile, bowed to Will. "You are learned?" he said, in the same curious Latin. Will modestly denied It, but I struck In boldly. "He Is a very learned scholar," I said. "Of thl3 I will inform the abbot," he said, and again turned to precede us. But I pointed to the gang of laboring prisoners, from the far end of which had Just come a sharp cry, as the knotted lash of the black overseer's whip fell across the naked shoulders of a lad halt ing under a burden. I trembled to kill the brutal striker. "Who are these?" I said Indignantly, "and by what law are they chained and beaten? Are they murderers?" The monk cast one contemptuous glance, and one, only, In the direction of the chain gang. "These are heretics," he said, as If tho fact explained all. And as I followed the trailing skirt of his brown robe (not daring to raise my eyes lest I should see some further hor ror) I was by no means so sure that the devil-fish had done us a good turn In de livering us from pirates and bringing ua from the Isle of Winds to underlie the tender mercies of the monks of the mon astery of San Juan de Brozas. CHAPTER XXXDC The Grand Inquisitor. 'JJBs excellency the grand Inquisitor!" announced the tall priest who had hith erto conducted us, and whom we after ward knew as Brother Pedro. A small, apple-cheeked, pale-eyed man entered, smiling and dimpling, almost in the manner of an antiquated beauty. His head was thurst a little forward, like a bird's about to peck, and the scanty hair fringing It was a pale yellow hue, and fell in a meek frill about his ears. There was nothing really Spanish or grand In- qulsltorial about him. He looked more like a fawning debtor who arrives to ask an extension of time from a stony-hearted creditor. "You have come" he spoke a curious, halting English "from the sea with three womans you have come. Sirs, you are welcome to San Juan de Brozas." "You are the abbot of the monastery?" I spoke before Will could find words. For talking to Anna had taught me quick ness of speech. "I am not the abbot. I am grand In quisition. From Palos I have come with 300 heretics in one galleon, that they may work m the plantations for the good of their souls! Then, If they do not repent, we will take other measure!" "But, most reverend, you speak Eng lish?" I suggested. He smiled, seemingly well enough pleased. "I have been long time In your coun try, spreading the holy religion! First with James the King, and afterward (in Dutch persecution and peril) under the Dutch heretic William! But, alas! I have much forgot. I speak him not well!'" Nevertheless, in spite of his modest dis claimers, he smiled like a boy who has "trapped" his way to the top of his class. "Sit down, gentlemen!" he added, Im- CHAIN GANG. mediately In an altered tone "The abbot comes this way!" And the grand Inquisitor, blushing and smiling at once, looked so like a pleasant country dame that from that moment 1 began to be better satisfied with our lodg ing in the monastery of San Juan de Brozas. We heard a step hustle along the pas sage, the soft brush brush shuffle brush of sandals worn by one who does not lift his feet. The door opened and a man en tered, at the first sight of whose face my heart sunk within me. He was a tall man, gaunt and hollow jawed. His eyes, deeply sunk In his head, shot out fire upon us. H!s very manner was terrifying, and I could well imagine him casting oiled faggots about the feet of poor wretches condemned to die for their religion. The grand Inquisitor re ceived the abbot of San Juan with a gentle purring deference, and made room for him on the black wooden settle as a spaniel dog might give place to a mastiff. He said som -thing to the grand inquisitor In a low tone, and then turned to us. "You are doubtless of the religion you have escaped from their cruel English plantations?" and the abbot bent his brows upon us as he spoke. "We have come from the Isle of Winds," I made answer. "We were carried thither by pirates from our native land!" I heard the whisper of Eborra In my ear. "If you wish to live and save those whom your love, swear to the man that you are of his religion! What matters it? Swear!" "From the Isle of Winds they come!" said the grand inquisitor, translating Into Spanish for the benefit of the abbot. Ana at the word I saw him turn up his eyes and cross himeelf. "But you are of the religion?" he per sisted, softly, and like one who insists on doing another a good turn. The grand inquisitor translated this time for our benefit. "I was christened of the Church of Eng land," said Will Bowman, bluntly, after his fashion, "and though I can lay claim to little enough religion of any kind, that is the religion I shall live and die In." That was wel! enough said of Will, but I was not to be set behind the door. No Yorkshireman alive was going to over crow me with his Epl3copianism at best a poor thing to make a boast of. "I am a Scot, and of the Scottish re ligion!" I said as grandly as I could. "What is that? I never heard of It!" The speech of the grand Inquisitor was more silvern than ever. Almost I might say he purred. 'T am a Presbyterian," I replied, a trifle nettled. "That la the religion of my coun try!" "Say an opinion call It an opinion, and I am with you!" he said, and continued to smile. "And you?" his eye passed on to Ebor ra, "have you been christened in the church of Inghllterra. or arb you also of the Scots persuasion?" To my surprise Eborra had shed his manner of a King's son, and now met the small, shrewd gray eyes of the grand in quisitor with the broad grin which had attracted me first on the street of the pri vateer's village. "I poor. Ignorant Yellow Jack," he said, speaking thickly. "I know nothing. But learn yes, holiness. Yellow Jack will ing to learn everything!" The grand Inquisitor nodded " pleasantly. "Ah, that I3 better much better!" he said. "Though your color Is that of Ham the accursed, such willingness doei" you more credit than your companions fair faced stubbornness. But you may in fluence them for good. The reverend ab bot wishes you to have free access to those of your race In charge of the chain gang. Perhaps they may furnish you with additional reasons for desiring In struction In our holy faith, and In this way your companions also ftnay come to find the truth!" "Give poor black boy your "blessing, holiness!" said Eborra, jaieeung wiin a- mlrable suppleness. The grand inquisitor extended a couple of Angers In a perfunctory manner, curved thorn a little as If he were going to scratch the head of a persistent cat. but continued to keep hl3 eyes nxea stead fastly upon us. I was very angry with Eborra for thus, as it were, deserting us in the face of the enemy: and as for Will Bowman, he glow ered at the half-caste as if he could have slain him. The abbot of San Juan and the Inqulsi ter conferred together, the tall, dark monk apparently persuading- his little, plump friend to something against his will. "We had better look out for squalls," whispered Will Bowman. "I do not trust that monk with the black brows. Tha little one's our friend. I wonder what they are whispering together about?" But I had been making up my mind to ask the inquisitor to give us a lodging In some place where we could see and com fort my mother. I knew well that she would be In distraction away from us and alone with Anna, whom she had never liked. "Most reverend," I began, "we have escaped from a pirate island. My mother and her companion have undergone many hardships. I pray you try permit us a lodging near together. The health of my mother has long been weak" The grand Inquisitor turned toward me. smiled indulgently. "Do not fear." he answered, "your mother's health will be cared for by the good sisters. I doubt not you will And her much Improved when you see her again. It la not customary for the sexes to mix with each other In the religious houses of St. John of Brozas and of our Gracious Lady the Holy Mary!" And with a little quieting wave of his white, plump hand he turned again to his consultation with the abbot. Eborra stood apart in seeming dejection, the broad smile gone from his face. He caught my eye and nodded confidentially. To this I did not reply, but averted my eye, for I still was angry at his desertion of us. Presently the grand Inquisitor turned to us agam, smiling In his most fatherly fashion. "My friend has agreed to provide lodg ing for you," he said; "you must pardon the roughness ot it. It shall only be tem poraryI can promise you that. If I have any Influence In this Island which I may say I think I have!" I answered that I had no doubt of it. And that, whatever quarters he provided for us, they would prove pillows of down after the hard seats of the jollyboat and the dangers of the pirate isle. It was good, I continued, to find one's self once again among Christians and brethren. Ho struck a bell, and Immediately, as if they had been waiting for the signal, half a dozen lay brothers entered. We could see a score or so of the tall negro overseers collected In the shaded porch. The abbot spoke rapidly to the lay brothers, nodding his head the while, and the grand Inquisitor continued to smile subtly upon us. "I bid you good-bye for the present." he said; "you, young sir, of the Scots per suasion, and you also" (he turned to Will), "who have had the so great honor of being christened In the Church of Eng land. Many a good conscience and the memory of your past privileges support you!" The monk who had flrst found us upon the shore stood before us. He hooked a beckoning finger at me and uttered two words In Latin: "Venlte, fratres!" Wo followed him out Into the court yard, among the whispering leaves and plashing fountains. Will and I walked side by side. But Eborra got no further than the doorway. Here he found him self surrounded by tho black men, with whips in their hands. These all began to talk at once. laughing and slapping each other In noisy fraternity, Eborra grin ning and talking away as fast as any. Half a dozen of tho brown monks ac companied us, talking low among them- selves. These did not walk as If guard ing prisoners, but rather like people ac cidentally going the same way. In this order we crossed the open square to tha corner opposite the church. Then we de scended a flight ot steps and turned Into a cool passage. We heard a sound as of dogs yelping, and began to smell the smell of kennels. Our guide flung open a door and mo tioned us with a fling of nls arm to enter. We did so. Will Bowman going first. We found ourselves In a high, narrow cell, the floor of earth, trodden hard. Rings and wheels of Iron were let Into the wall on either side. Rope and pul leys cobwebbed aloft. The whitewashed walls were stained here and there with streaks and gouts of darkish brown. In their nature very suggestive. The win dows were set high up, defended by thick bars of Iron. Three tall-backed chairs stood on a raised platform at one end, tVi mhoot Vialnc- r thk fTifrtllA nnH two a little retired in support. Above thJ center chair were the Insignia of the holy office of the Inquisition. I saw now where we were. The abbot had played us false. Still. If we wer to appear before the grand Inquisitor, I felt that he would deal kindly with us; for my liking had gone out to the little shy man, with his soft voice and gentle ways. On the other hand, I knew we had no chance of mercy from the abbot. I had mistrusted him at flrst sight, and Will Bowman thought as I did. So we stood there, wondering what would come next: and my mind flew to Anna and my mother, even when my eyes were wandering among the maze of wheels and ropes, overhead the purport of iwhich I understood well enough, though not the particular tortures for which they were designed. What would become of my mother and Anna Mark? Would they also be shut up in some den of cruelty and pain, or would the sisters be more merciful, seeing that they also were women? Before my mind had reached any conclusion I was re called to myself by the entrance of half a dozen stalwart negroes. The first stag gered In with a smith's brazier, and charcoal smoldering red upon It. A sec ond followed with a pair ot bellows upon a wooden stand. Then came two others carrying black loads of clanking chains. They were all laughing and cracking jests at each other's expense. Two gigan tic guards, wlth muskets over the'r shoulders and short swords by their sides, brought up the rear. The negro with the bellows was evi dently a sort of master among them. Ha set down his stand with an air of author ity, then he looked closely at us, bend ing his hams and laying his hands upon his knees In the attitude which wo of Moreham call "hunkering." After study ing Will and myself for a minute with bloodshot injected eyes the eyes of a bloodhound scenting tho trail he slapped his thighs suddenly and cut a high capor with his feet. Then he cracked his heel3 together and crowed like a cock. Th8 monks had retired to the further end of the chamber, where they stood, leaning elbows on the black chairs and talking quietly together. "Ha, ha. ha!" broke out the huge black. "If this here doan beat cock-flghtln,! Eng lish by Gar! Me English, too Pcmpey Smith my name. Once me live In tha Carollnas. English overseer score poor Pompey's back. Now Pompey have da whip and score Englishman's back. Ha, ha, ha!'" Then he took hold of Will Bowman rudely. "Hold out your leg." he said. "I fit It with one pretty bracelet. So! LIka him so much you never take him off not even when you go by by!" He was stooping to take hold of Will's knee when he received a direct left handed blow between the eyes, and went down like a log. Presently, however, ho got up, rubbing his forehead, upon whica a shiny lump began to rise. (To Be Continued.) "Hunger Is the best sauce." You will have a good aDDetite if vou taica Hood's 1 Sarsaparillo, Y n