ched his battered tonsure, "and all thou hast done
against me and mine. That is not little, for when I was a lad, a youth,
before I took the priestly yoke upon me, I loved Maria Zerega--but that
is nothing. What suffering comes upon me I can bear, but thou hast
filled the cup of iniquity and must drain it to the dregs. Hark ye--the
weeping of the desolated town! I can not interfere! They that take the
sword shall perish by it. It is so decreed. You believe not in God----"

"I will! I do!" cried the buccaneer, clutching at the hope.

"I shall pray for thee, that is all."

"Hornigold," cried the now almost frenzied man, his voice hoarse with
terror and weakness, "they owe much to you. Without you they had not
been here. I have wronged you grievously--terribly--but I atone by this.
Beg them, not to let me go but only to kill me where I stand! They will
not refuse you. Had it not been for you this man would not have known
his father. He could not have won this woman. You have power. You'll not
desert an old comrade in his extremity? Think, we have stood together
sword in hand and fought our way through all obstacles in many a
desperate strait. Thou and I, old shipmate. By the memory of that old
association, by the love you once bore me, and by that I gave to you,
ask them for my death, here--now--at once!"

"You ask for grace from me!" snarled Hornigold savagely, yet triumphant.
"You--you hanged my brother----"

"I know, I know! 'Twas a grievous error. I shall be punished for
all--ask them to shoot me--hang me----"

He slipped to his knees, threw himself upon the floor, and lay
grovelling at Hornigold's feet.

"Don't let them torture me, man! My God, what is it they intend to do to
me?"

"Beg, you hound!" cried the boatswain, spurning him with his foot. "I
have you where I swore I'd bring you. And, remember, 'tis I that laid
you low--I--I--" He shrieked like a maniac. "When you suffer in that
living death for which they design you, remember with every lingering
breath of anguish that it was I who brought you there! You trifled with
me--mocked me--betrayed me. You denied my request. I grovelled at your
feet and begged you--you spurned me as I do you now. Curse you! I'll ask
no mercy for you!"

"My lord," gasped out Morgan, turning to the Viceroy in one final
appeal, as two of the men dragged him to his feet again, "I have
treasure. The galleon we captured--it is buried--I can lead you there."

"There is not a man