The echo to this sentiment came in a shout from all the followers of Lopez,
"Down with all Americans and priests!"
With this cry a hundred fierce faces surrounded them, and glared at them with fiery eyes. It seemed as though their last hour had come.
The crowd pressed closer, and clamored for their immediate destruction. The only thing that held them back was the att.i.tude of Brooke, who stood perfectly cool and tranquil, with his eyes fixed on Lopez, a good-natured smile on his face, and his hands carelessly in his pockets. Close beside him stood Talbot, pale, it is true, but with a calm exterior that showed not one trace of fear. Brooke did not see her, and did not venture to look at her, but he felt that she was as firm as a rock. Had they faltered in the slightest degree, the storm must have burst; but as it was, the calmness of these two disarmed the fury of the mob, and their fierce pa.s.sion died away.
"Captain Lopez," said Brooke, in a quiet and friendly tone, "you may have reason to hate my country, but I a.s.sure you that you have absolutely no cause for complaint against me and my friend. We are simple travellers who have been interrupted on our journey, and are now trying to get to the nearest railway station so as to resume it as soon as possible."
"How did you get here?" asked Lopez, after a pause, in which he again scrutinized severely the two prisoners.
Brooke had antic.i.p.ated this question, and had made up his mind as to his answer. It was his intention to identify himself with Talbot, and speak as though he had all along been travelling with "the young priest."
"Our train stopped," said he, "and we took the diligence over this road yesterday. We were stopped again, captured and robbed by Carlists, and we have escaped from them, and are now trying to get back."
"Was your train stopped by Carlists?"
"No; the diligence."
"Where did the Carlists go?"
"I have no idea."
"Where did you come from last?"
"Barcelona."
"Where are you going now?"
"To England," said Brooke; "and finally." he added, "allow me to show you this, which I am sure will establish my character in your eyes."
With these words he drew forth a paper and handed it to Lopez. The latter took it, and one of the men lighted a bit of wood which served as a torch, after which Lopez read the following:
"_Head-quarters, Vittoria, May 10th. 1873.
"This is to certify that the bearer of this is an American citizen named Raleigh Brooke, and is correspondent of a New York journal. He has permission to traverse our lines in pursuit of his business.
CONCHA_."
Lopez read it over a second time.
"A newspaper correspondent!" said he. "H"m! That means a spy." He handed it back again to Brooke, who replaced it in his pocket. "I"ll think it over," continued Lopez. "I"ll examine you both to-morrow and inspect your papers. I"m too tired now. You may both go inside again where you were hiding before. We won"t burn you up."
At these last words the whole gang burst into a jeering laugh that foreboded something so horrible that the stout heart of Brooke quailed within him, as, followed by Talbot, he once more entered the old mill.
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW THE ANXIOUS RUSSELL SEEKS TO CONCEAL A TREASURE.
The Russell party, on reaching the castle, were all conducted inside, where they found themselves in an arched hall which has already been described. Traversing this, they ascended the ma.s.sive stairway at the end, and came to another large hall immediately above the lower one.
This had once been the grand banqueting hall of the castle, and was less rough and severe in its appearance than other parts; for while the walls elsewhere showed the unfinished faces of the rude blocks of stone, here there was an effort after something like ornament; yet this was so slight that even here the general air was still one of severe and austere graudeur, as if there had been wrought out in this stone-work the mind of the stern Goth who reared it, who held it, not for a home, but rather for a fortress, whence he could dominate the surrounding country.
If Harry had cherished any hope of prolonging his acquaintance with Katie he was now destined to be disappointed; for on reaching this upper hall they were informed that they would have to be separated--the men to go in one direction and the women in another.
This arrangement was partly for the comfort of both parties, but still more for their safe-keeping, since escape would thus be far more difficult. Accordingly the ladies were taken away by some female attendants; while Russell, in company with Harry, was taken to their quarters on the opposite side of the great hall.
Here they found themselves in an apartment which was very long, very wide, and very lofty. The roof was arched, and all the stones were of cyclopean dimensions. At one end there was an immense fireplace. On either side there were narrow windows, which on one side looked down on the front yard inside the wall, while on the other they commanded a view of one of the inner courtyards. Harry, on his first entrance into the room, walked about surveying the place, and noting these particulars by the lurid glow of the torches.
This first survey a.s.sured him that, as far as appearances went, there was scarcely any possibility of escape. The walls were too strong to be penetrated in any way, and the windows were too narrow for any one to pa.s.s through. In fact, they were slits rather than windows.
Moreover, even if it had been possible for any one to pa.s.s through the windows, the ground below was too far away to be reached without some means of descent. Finally, there were the armed men outside, and the extreme wall, which was too lofty to be scaled. On the whole, the prospect was highly unsatisfactory, and Hurry turned away from this first survey with a feeling of mild dejection. There was scarcely anything in the room which deserved the name of furniture. In one corner there was a rude structure with straw on it, which was intended for a bed. Opposite this there was a ponderous oaken bench, and upon this old Russell seated himself wearily. Here he sat, and as Harry completed his survey of the apartment, his eyes rested upon his unfortunate companion as he sat there, the picture of terror, despondency, and misery. Harry felt an involuntary pity for the man; and as his own flow of spirits was unfailing, he set himself to work to try and cheer him.
"Well," said he, "this is rather a dismal place, Russell; but, after all, it"s better than being put in a vault underground."
"It"s pup-precious kik-kik-cold," said Russell, his teeth chattering, partly from cold and partly from terror. "This"ll bring on an attack of rheumatiz--that"s what it"s going to do. Oh, I know it!"
"Well, it a little chilly, that"s a fact," said Harry, shrugging his shoulders. "It"s a pity we couldn"t use that fireplace. But what a tremendous fireplace it is! Why, it"s as big as a barn. What do you say to our amusing ourselves by starting a fire? It would be great fun."
"But we"ve gig-gig-got no fuel," said Russell, with a shiver.
"Fuel? Why, let"s cut up that big bench."
"What with?"
"Why, with my pocket-knife, of course. We could whittle enough chips off it to make a good big fire, and still have enough left for a bench. In fact, we could get enough fuel off that for a dozen fires.
Why, man, there must be at least a cord of wood in that bench.
Whittling"s rather slow work, it"s true, but in a place like this it"ll be an occupation, and that"s something. Prisoners go mad unless they have something to do; and so, just to save myself from madness, I mean to go in for fuel--unless you can think of something else that"s better."
Rattling out this in his usual lively fashion, Harry went to the bench, and began a solemn examination of it, with a view toward whittling it up into firewood. Russell did not move, but regarded Harry with the same silent misery in his face. At last he spoke:
"What did-did-do you think they"re a-going to did-did-do?"
"Who?" asked Harry.
"Why, these people--that kik-kik-captured us."
"These Carlists? Well, I don"t know--seems to me they want to make some money out of us."
"Why did they let all the Spaniards go and kik-kik-capture us?"
"Oh, well, they think as we"re English we"ll probably have more money about us than their own countrymen, and be safer plunder also."
"Did-did-do you think they"ll go so far as to pip-pup-plunder us?"
asked Russell, in a voice of horror.
"Haven"t a doubt of it."