Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

THE FETTERS OF IGNACIO. 57 He uttered these last words with a fierce vim that sent a thrill through Crenshawe’s blood. | | “Tt may not be necessary, Tony,” said the American cautiously, “to do any killing. All we want, you understand, is to get possession of the Don. With him and Josefo in our power, we hope it won't be necessary to kill anybody.” Tony nodded, but whether he fully understood or not was problematical. “There are no black men, are there,” asked Crenshawe, “ who would be faithful to the Spaniard if there was a chance that they might be free? ”’ “No, nol” cried Tony. “ All fight. All be free. All hate Don and Josefo.” “ Well, then,” said Crenshawe doubtfully, for there was something in the lad’s earnestness that gave him an indefinable fear of the event, “ come up to my place, and we will talk it over with Edwardes. You are a friend of Edwardes, I believe, Tony?” “ Die for Edwardes,” responded Tony simply. ‘‘ Me suppose you friend of Edwardes, for you white, so I put rice cakes in your prison.” “You made no mistake there, young man. Now let’s come on if you can walk after that experience of yours this morning.” “‘ Oh, me walk; limp little, that’s all.” Together they returned to Crenshawe’s hut. They found a black man waiting for them there, but Edwardes was not in sight. Tony addressed the man as Maloa. It wes he to whom Edwardes had referred as the black who showed the qualities of leadership. ‘“ Did Edwardes bring you here? ” asked Crenshawe. Maloa looked inquiringly at Crenshawe for a moment and then turned to Tony. “ Speak to him in your own lingo, Tony,” said the American, “and ask — him if he came from Edwardes.” Question and answer having followed in incomprehensible dialect, Cren- shawe became satisfied that the black had come from Edwardes, and the next inquiry was as to E,dwardes’ present whereabouts. -Maloa did not know, but he thought that Edwardes had left him while on the way to the hut to go toward the mansion. It struck Crenshawe as rather odd and possibly significant, so he left both the blacks in his hut with instructions to remain there until he returned, and started in the direction of the park. It was thus that in his own mind he always referred to the wealth of shrubbery that grew a little distance inland from the quarters occupied by the slaves. As Don Ignacio had frequently taken that direction and Crenshawe had once seen a part of a roof there, he had no doubt the slaver’s dwelling was in that part of the island. A few paces away from the huts and Crenshawe was upon open ground. No trees or shrubbery intervened between him and the borders of the park. The moon had not yet risen, and, therefore, he could see nothing ahead of him but the black mass of trees in the direction of the mansion. As he ap- proached closer he heard two voices in conversation. He could not distin- ECOMmicooolkKks