Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

_——e - eS =- oe = a 58 THE ARGOSY. guish the words, but he recognized the tones. Don Ignacio and Josefo were talking together. Hoping that they might be conversing in English, and wishing to hear what they were saying, Crenshawe advanced cautiously until he was almost under a tree a little beyond which the two were sitting. It was not until then that he made certain that the two were talking in Spanish, and he would have turned about, but at the same instant he distinguished a darker object against the gloom of the foliage, and realized that an eavesdropper was ahead of him. Apparently the eavesdropper had observed the approach of Crenshawe, for he waved his arm, as if beckoning. Crenshawe went close and presently stood beside Edwardes. The Don and his overseer were talking very earnestly, there could be no mistaking that, and Crenshawe -vas wild with exasperation because he could rot understand 1 word. Presently Edwardes took him by the arm and led him away. Both walked with the utmost care, that their feet should make no noise to attract the attention of the talkers. “Why didn’t you hear it ou.?” whispered Crenshawe, when they had gone to a little distance. “T heard enough,” Edwardes replied. “Was it about us?” “You have guessed it, though possibly you may have heard our names mentioned.” ‘ No, I couldn’t catch a word, but I suspected that we might be the sub- ject of their talk. You see I have thought so hard about this insurrection that I half suspect some knowledge of it may have got through the air to the Don.” “ You can dismiss any fear of that kind,” said Edwardes. “ I was returning with Maloa when I heard their voices, and having caught the mention of my own name, I decided that it would be just as well to hear what they had to say. So I sent Maloa on to your hut and crept in there where you found me.” “ Well?” said Crenshawe interrogatively. “T heard ourselves pretty thoroughly discussed. Josefo, who, as the Don’s chief overseer since this horrible institution was set up on the island, has the privilege of speaking pretty freely, was trying to persuade the Don that it would be the part of good policy to put you and me to death.” “ Clever fellow, Josefo.” “ Not so clever as the Don, though. The old brute has a spark of wis- _ dom. Briefly, his idea is that the time may come when search will be made for you, or me, or both of us. With all his guarding of the island he cannot be positive that some day somebody will not get away. As long as we are alive he believes that it will be possible to hoodwink any inquirers into believ- ing that we are well cared for.” “ What nonsense.” ; “That is only one of his arguments, but it demonstrated that he is afraid to put us to death. He is, however, as determined as Josefo is that we shall be kept in utter subjection. He tells his overseer that he is convinced that when once the American has grown accustomed to the system, he will exert his Yankee ingenuity to its advantage. ‘ There area ECOMmicooolkKks CO inn