Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

WHITE EYE. Other men did them without having to suffer the consequences. They drank, gambled, pursued women, and continued to live happily. He had never cared for any of these things, and still they had come into his life and ruined it. But it would soon be over now. If it were not for the slow, lingering torture, he would not be sorry to die. But this death —QOh, God, was there no other way? Despairing at last of a solution of the mystery and tragedy of his experience, he knelt on the stone floor, and in a voice shaken with sobs, prayed for strength to meet his death—even this awful death by the lash—fearlessly and calmly. IV. Worn out by the long vigil, he slept. And when the guards came to his cell a few minutes before sunrise they had to shake him roughly. He mumbled and turned on his side, as though resenting the disturb- ance. When at last awakened, astonishment and comprehending horror gripped him. The men smiled coldly as he shrank from them as though from death itself. On their way to the door a mad desire to force them to kill him mercifully possessed him. He made a lunge at the nearest guard, and seized his rifle. But such attempts on the part of the condemned were common. One guard jammed the butt of his gun into his face, cutting a deep gash, from which the blood flowed freely. Stunned by the blow he was led into the patio, where the executioners, coarse and brutal, stood drawing the heavy notched lashes through their hands. Larry knew the procedure. Two whips would be used, having eight foot lashes of manatee hide with notches cut along the edge. When the whip was brought down it would be drawn toward the wielder, tearing the flesh from the body. His clothes were stripped from him, and leather straps were fastened around his wrists and ankles. He was laid face down on the stone floor, while his hands and feet were made fast to four heavy iron rings. The bugles burst forth in a clamorous wail. This always continued until the body 3A 193 was removed, to drown the screams of the victim. ‘With the pallor of death on his counten- ance, Larry submitted to the preparations without a murmur, but his lips moved in silent prayer as the straps were made fast. While he waited for the first blow, trivial memories flashed through his thoughts: Braulio drinking the bay rum and _ face lotion; the little picture of Lincoln, which Braulio and Carmencita stared at so often; by the way, where had he put it that day he broke up? He had meant to bring it along; then the time he and Braulio were attacked by the harmless bees on that first survey, their wild attempts to escape them, and the hilarious delight of the rest of the party, looking on and knowing that the in- sects were harmless as houseflies. Carmen- cita—poor little kid. He hoped she would never know about this. She would take it hard. The two executioners took up their posi- tion, one on either side of him, firmly grasping the blood-stained whips. They were only waiting now for the first rays of the sun to strike the gray turrets of the cuartel as a signal to begin. Larry closed his eyes and pressed his lips tightly together. He must not cry out. After the first blows the flesh would surely become so numbed that the pain would not be so agonizing. God—would they never start? He must scream if they did not. His nerves were being flayed even before the flesh felt the bite of the whips. The officer moved forward to give the signal. This was the end. No, a paper was being thrust into the officer’s hands. He read it. He addressed the guards. They stepped over to Larry’s side. “‘ They are going to tighten the straps,”’ ‘he told himself. Even when they released him and bade him rise, he could not believe he heard aright. Their voices seemed to come from a great distance. Like one in a stupor he got up and began to stagger weakly toward the door of his cell. “Your sentence has been commuted!” the officer informed. ‘‘ You are exiled from the country. These guards will escort you to the frontier.”’ CoOnnicoool< CO