Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

280 “Do you know the extent of these cellars? ”’ “No. All I know is that this part was used as a prison for those who were to be killed inthe temple. I hid Altama here, and had the bolt changed from the upper to the lower side of the door. [| fancied that some time I might need a temporary hiding place. I always dis- trusted Forresto.” ‘ Jadispiato probably knows more about the place than any one else,” said Desklit. ‘““ We must get him down here and make his own life depend on his saving ours.” “ How will you undertake that?” I asked. ‘Well, as we know of only one way to enter here, he will have to come in that way. I am going now to examine that door. It is likely that the priests willtaketurnsin guarding it, if they can- not get it open. Jadispiato will be there alone, perhaps, and we can capture him.” Desklit’s plan, wild as it was, was really the only one offering us any hope. We could not live without food,and any risk was better than'a weak submission to fate. We left Lottie with Elna and went together to examine the door. It was a massive piece of metal, fitted exactly to the opening in the stone floor, and so hinged that one strong man could force it upward. It was now held in place by a ponderous bolt which had been shot by Elna when we entered. “Hark!” said Desklit. “ They are working at it now. Do you hear?”’ We could very easily distinguish the blows of some iron weapon on the stone floor. The priests were no doubt try- ing to pry up some part of the flooring, which would be an easier feat than to open the bolted door. ‘* The best thing we can do is to wait for them,” said Desklit. We sat on the stone steps listening to the heavy blows above. ‘A powerful arm is wielding that thing,” remarked Desklit. THE ARGOSY. After we had been there some time a small opening appeared at the side of the door. Pieces of stone and cement fell into the cellar, and the point of an iron bar came through. At the same time we heard a voice say: ‘* Dat’s de hardest floor I ever saw! " ‘“ Pedro Gapo, as I’m alive!” whis- pered Desklit. ‘‘ The priests know a strong man when they see one.” The iron bar was withdrawn, and Desklit applied his eye to the hole.in the floor. “Sh!” he whispered to me. “I can see some distance around, and Gapo seems to be alone with Jadispiato. Sup- pose we make the attempt now.” ‘““Come on, one time is as good as another,” I answered. : We shot back the heavy bolt,. and with a quick, united effort, threw open the door. The priest and Gapo started back in astonishment. “’Fore God, Senor Keybu’n, what you goin’ do?” , “Hush! Help seize the priest!” I cried to him. All three grasped the form of Jadispiato. One so covered his mouth that he could not cry out. An- other pinioned his arms and legs. We hurricd him into the cellar. J, being the last, again closed the door. ‘What means this outrage?” de- manded Jadispiato, angrily. “Shut up, you fool! ” ordered Desk- lit. “ You got us into this scrape, and now, if we die, you die with us. If you want to live, you've got to get us out of it.” CHAPTER VII. REDUCED TO DESPERATION. JADISPIATO wasthe most enragedand obdurate man I had ever:seen. His powerful muscles made him a difficult prisoner to handle, and it was about all that Desklit and I could do to drag him to the lighted portion of the cellar where Elna and Lottie were waiting anxiously for our return... SS CO