The Slave of the Mine

ay was a prisoner took out a

d at once put J

e was no reason why he s

ours at sea before he request

e frame of mind, but he felt that he was in the captain's powe

bottles with glasses on the table, as

the captain. "You

repli

ng the box of cigars over to him. "The win

y, and they pled

was a spare, short man, with reddish hair and small, twink

riend and companion during

e me greater pleas

d not conceal an

s use

by Vasquez, the bandit, to convey you to Rio. He

y. I know

for I see you are an educated gentleman, and

who could not help thinking that there was somet

for I shall discharge cargo, take in anothe

be set fr

," answere

understa

my wishes to get you out of th

in some mysterious way, to be sen

ll events," laug

you s

mply to land you at Rio, and there

d not mak

th the assurance given him by Captain Mo

oreland. Everything he wanted was placed at his service,

idence, and he soon voted him an excellent fellow, f

, Moreland volunteered to advance him some for current expenses

ills of lading had been given to the consign

remarked, "and can tak

nvitation, and they

slipped something into Harkaway's pock

Moreland, and Jack's suspicions returned

bject in steering him toward the

ighborhood, this," he

ed, my friend, by the cooking, at th

"I am prepared to sacrifice a g

the waiters and landlord nodded familiarly

dirty, the table-cloths uninviting, and directly Ja

s bad as Zola's Assommoir. I can'

. "Landlord, a bottle of wine, and

rietor, who was a swarthy, thi

and seemed to Jack to

ily of it, while Moreland con

rink?" obser

o before eating; it ta

Jack, and a soft, sensuous,

ould i

kind friend, the captain, to be drugged

it looke

time?" said

"Vasquez kindly relieved me of

p," continued Moreland, "and I

mean by that?

e was some latent accu

to report to the American Consul at three, an

search in al

his stupor increased, and it seemed all the tim

atch of mine is gone t

jaculated

e you have n

I

h astonishment, and coul

nvestigated," said

gno

officer

like one

ieve that what h

e wine, and like the opium-eater, he was s

aiter returned

s me?" he

h that man. I accuse hi

kaway, whom the o

his false friend, but he seemed to

wine, he saw that he was the victim of an infamous pl

event his making a charge of abductio

s clear

remained for coming

ughed in a half imbecile manner, as if i

et were found a

asked the offic

ame is on the case. It was a present to

arrest th

I will follow and m

m the room to the police co

ly settled the bill an

and Jack soon had a specimen of how swi

a passage from San Francisco, and how he had returned his kindn

added, "or perhaps he

the charge?" a

ty to societ

, the court asked him i

e of the drug, whose effects made themsel

d continued to laugh at what h

he r

years' hard labor in the min

replied Jack; "I k

d louder

. He soon fell into a profound slumber, from wh

isfied, for he fulfilled his contr

victim's being pardoned,

rs, during which time Lord Maltravers could pro

he mines might enfeeble his magnificent physi

ll he pressed his hand to h

the deu

p and re

to dine; accused me of stealing his watch. Hang his impudence!

him that it was not so much a

all over him, and he bega

d with a suit of convict's

dress,"

Jack; "but let me ask

br

a co

u a

t I communicate with the E

"In half an hour the chain-gang starts

sake, do som

er shook

ent," assev

d on you. It is a clear case.

t I am innocent. It is a base con

harshly. "In half an hour I shal

with a hollow, sepulchral sound, which

e fact that he w

ss. I will make the best of the situation. Harvey, if not mortally wounded,

then attired himself in the hideous yel

ent there w

he had to look for comfo

of the sufferings in the mines by the

hin him as he reca

ery the fairy-like form of Lena

m hope on, and telling him that

relentless as fate itself, appeared,

on twenty unfortunates, simil

at the word "March," the gate was th

s having a special car, but a considerable distance had t

pleted by sickness and death, were rei

mine slave lasted l

ed and badly fed, broke do

m nothing but what they paid for food, and often diamonds of large size, first water, and great value were found when the mines were reached

the "dirt" as it came up the shafts, and washing it in the

, and the diamonds were, when f

They had three meals a day of coarse food, and slep

supplied with a pickax

eled it into the basket, afterward carrying it to the nearest shaft

u in for?" a

's watch, and I got fi

lfonso; "I killed my man, and

shudd

e company of

uld get away!" con

d you do?"

keep a

uess

ays on guard, night and day, saw me and fired. Th

that

n't get it," said

do you mea

got the biggest beauty that

u h

It ought to be in the crown of a roya

t so

, which is the largest in the world. I shal

ghed

it to the authorit

ell me why

N

treat us

ind

gs, and lead a life of u

y tr

; but I've taken a fancy to you, and if anything

fulness for this proof o

asked, his curio

advanced to the lamp which gave them

around?"

any one," r

overseers come around. They

alone,"

here,

laced it on his flesh. Jack

that?" h

eplied Alfonso,

d it get there?" Jack

they brought me d

es

e brutes didn't think it worth while to get the doctor to

el

ere was room for the bullet, I shoved the diamond into th

our b

plied Alfonso, "and no

't it

res of the damned for weeks, and it hurts

powered with

grit in you,

's got pluck enough to slay his enemy and risk

ant me to do?"

ie, cut

d t

I can't tell you w

came along, with gent

or?" he asked, exhibiting a

g?" asked Alfo

u a

at him with a forebo

rned you once before no

s my

n, and I'd just as soon be dead a

hreatening me," answered Ped

the bare back of the prisoner, deliv

shed his te

are," h

twice if you do not

the punishment would be doubled, and the

lared like those

t sure that some terrible tr

ere unmercifully flogged with a rawhide, and Alfonso had been treated

o hope of a commutation of his sentence, and who could only expect to die in his ch

," said Alfonso, i

rned you," rep

I have already

If you were so much as to raise your little finger to

ou?" asked Pedro, with a sneer w

breathed

to report me?

d you know very wel

d the convict-speak

I tel

; my back bear

who seemed to take a pleasure in tormenting the convict,

ame trembled, and he s

eyes to the dark rock above h

gasp he spra

ut he saw that it was useless to

the death betwe

dangered his own life

ceived the bullet in his left shoulder without flinching. With his righ

ll with

struck him until, in his mad frenzy,

you done?"

ne-boss gone, and the world is rid of

will becom

blem, my friend," said the c

e pistol which Pedro had al

that you will tak

ecisely wha

ow

. What have I, a slave, to live for? Is it any pleasure to me to exist, as I h

dmit tha

ha

is life the

not killed this man, almost

dmit

ize me, flog me till I am in a dying condition

reason why he should prolong his

clear that suicide in your case i

ey say that those who are about t

rd that," r

you free

ied Jack

e you. Do not forget what I

ill

dead, and then give the alar

t where sha

ked wildly

r strange voices ringing in my ears. Angels are talking to me. I am conv

that the ma

weakened his mind, and he was no l

to do under th

it would be no charity to the poor wretch to save his life in order that, after

t his hand

od-

er grasped

Have you anything

d bless

hesit

ha

u, for His

Adios,

poke, for he placed the muzzle of the pi

hick smoke, which nearly obscured the light of the lamp, and

done its work

t a word, a si