n.

In the middle of the patio of the tribunal was a picturesque well curb
of uncut stones. It had a rustic crank of bamboo; its water was slimy
and putrid. All sorts of refuse had been thrown around it and in it.

Toward this Tarsilo was led. He was very pale, and his lips trembled,
if he was not praying. The pride he had shown appeared now to be
crushed out; he seemed resigned to suffer. The poor wretch looked
enviously at the pile of bodies, and sighed heavily.

"Speak then!" said the directorcillo. "You will be hung anyway. Why
not die without so much suffering?" But Tarsilo remained mute.

When the well was reached, they bound his feet. He was to be let
down head foremost. He was fastened to the curb; the crank turned,
and his body disappeared. The alferez noted the seconds with his
watch. At the signal the body was drawn up, too pitiable to describe;
but Tarsilo was still mute. Again he was let down, again he refused
to speak; when he was drawn up the third time, he no longer breathed.

His torturers looked at each other in consternation. The alferez
ordered the body taken down, and they all examined it for signs of
life; but there were none.

"See," said a cuadrillero, at last, "he has strangled himself with
his tongue!"

"Put the body with the others," ordered the alferez nervously. "We
must examine the other unknown prisoner."

L.

ACCURST.

The news spread that the prisoners were to be taken to the capital,
and members of their families ran wildly from convent to barracks, from
barracks to tribunal, but found no consolation anywhere. The curate
was said to be ill. The guards dealt roughly with the supplicating
women, and the gobernadorcillo was more useless than ever. The
friends of the accused, therefore, had collected near the prison,
waiting for them to be brought out. Doray, Don Filipo's young wife,
wandered back and forth, her child in her arms, both crying. The
Capitana Tinay called on her son Antonio, and brave Capitana Maria
watched the grating behind which were her twins, her only children.

At two in the afternoon, an uncovered cart drawn by two oxen stopped
in front of the tribunal. It was surrounded, and there were loud
threats of breaking it.

"Don't do that!" cried Capitana Maria; "do you wish them to go on
foot?" In a few moments, twenty soldiers came out and surrounded
the ox-cart; then the prisoners appeared. The first was Don Filipo,
who smiled at his wife. Doray res