The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GREAT Before sending the Jewish doctor upon this errand, Sansito had admonished him: “You are not to take this young man’s life except as a last resort; under no circum- stances are you to permit yourself to be recognized; and guard carefully against these ‘friends’ of his. Do you under- stand?” Don Luis assured his master that he did, and departed. In a narrow street, behind the cathedral, the lackeys set upon Arthur.. They were armed with stout sticks, and had the advantages of number and surprise. However, the first assault failed, and in some trepidation Don Luis, watching from the shadow of a deep doorway, saw that Arthur, with his back to a blank wall, looked ready for anything, and was calling lustily for help. The ruffians, disconcerted by the amazing strength of their prey, hesitated. No one would venture to attack alone; but finally they decided to rush forward in a body. - Arthur’s continued cries awakened noth- ing but echoes in the deserted street; the iron-latticed, bird-cage windows projecting from near-by houses might as well have been openings into houses of the dead. As the men came upon him, the sailor sprang forward and caught the nearest fel- low a stunning blow under the chin. The stricken man gave a gurgling cry, staggered back, and falling up against the wall, closed his eyes. But Arthur narrowly escaped the descending club of his next companion. The club crashed to the surprised lackey’s side: he had been certain of hitting his man. Arthur sprang upon this momentarily useless club and by sheer weight tore it from the wielder’s hand; at the same time, before the third knave realized what was taking place, the sailor had drawn his poig- nard and was upon him. He struck two deep blows over the fellow’s heart. The unfortunate creature shrieked, and fell headlong into his own blood. By this time the second man, whose blow the youth had so narrowly escaped, was rearmed. He succeeded in striking the poignard from Arthur’s hand, and at- tempted to clinch with him. But the sailor’s feet were not idle. He cleverly DISCOVERY, 219 tripped this adversary, and during the brief moments that he was down, possessed him- self of the dying lackey’s club and gave two resounding whacks on the struggling brute’s defenseless pate. Then this second man rolled senseless into the gutter. Arthur’s frequent cries for help seemed about to be answered. Noise of people run- ning was heard. The remaining lackey, just recovered from the blow under his chin, seeing the fate of his companions and hearing people approaching, decided to trust to his heels. As he fled another man joined in his flight. Arthur noticed him, and wondered who this could be; and then the watch was upon him. He attempted to explain his predicament, but these officers of the law, recognizing one of the fallen men as a lackey of the great secretary, would listen to nothing. Pro- testing, Arthur was taken before an ignorant petty official and charged with breaking the peace, killing the king’s loyal, law-abiding subjects—in broad daylight—in the open street. These last clauses seemed in the eyes of the official to be his most heinous offenses. Arthur was allowed to say nothing in defense, but was roughly led away to prison. His letter to Columbus and the bags of gold for which he had sold the ring were taken from him, and he was thrust into a little dark cell. Here the hot air stank with a nauseatingly fetid odor, while rats and worse vermin disputed his possession of water in a handleless pitcher and a small hunk of hard bread. Without, in the rough guard-room, Ar- thur’s two jailers gossiped. He could hear their mumblings, but not the words. They were cooking their meager supper over a sickly fire burning upon the hearth—a big, flat stone in the center of the room. “ The yellow-head, for all his gentle man- ners, killed one of the Count de Sansito’s own men,” the big, tall, bristly, hollow- jawed fellow named Tomasso announced. He spoke with gloomy awe as he pointed to Arthur’s cell. He moved out of the blinding smoke, licking his fingers and munching, then sat down, 5 “TI heard it was two,” his little com- comicbooksscom