AND THEN SILENCE!
The top was down, but Clif was too engrossed in thought to discover the
fellow. On went the conveyance through the miserably paved streets,
on past churches and stores and residences, and away from the main
portion of the city to a quiet, highly respectable suburb where the
houses rested in detached grounds abloom with a wealth of semi-tropical
verdure.
When the carriage finally slackened up a short distance from a pretty
villa, the unbidden passenger was still swinging behind, but he leaped
nimbly to the ground and darted into the shadow of a tree in time to
escape notice.
The driver placidly overcharged Clif fourfold, and drove away, leaving
the cadet to enter the grounds, where he received a hearty and blushing
welcome from Juanita and her friend.
An hour later another carriage entered the street. It was of the
same class as the first, but the box was occupied by a stalwart,
black-browed native with a scowling face.
He drove slowly through the street, then turned back again, as if
awaiting a call.
Time passed; the sun touched the western hills and disappeared, and
the mist of an early twilight gathered over the city. A distant clock
sounded the hour of six. From the great cathedral came a mellow chiming
of bells, followed by a discordant clatter from some less favored
church.
Suddenly the ornamented gate in front of the Windom villa opened and
Clif emerged, gallantly lifting his naval cap to those inside.
He glanced hastily at his watch, then with a half-suppressed
exclamation of surprise, looked about for a conveyance.
The carriage which had been loitering in the vicinity was coming
briskly toward him. He hailed it, leaped inside, and was soon leaving
the vicinity.
While passing a nearby corner Clif chanced to look over toward a
barefoot lad standing under a wall lamp.
“Gorry! it’s that little beggar, Pedro,” he muttered. “What’s he doing
out here, I wonder? Guess he saw me from the expression on his face.”
He fell to musing over the diving episode of the morning. From that
to his extremely pleasant afternoon with Juanita was but a step, and
Pedro’s scowling face speedily gave way to the beautiful, attractive
countenance of the girl.
It was growing dark very rapidly.
The carriage rattled along over the rough cobbles and through streets
entirely unfamiliar to the young cadet.
Presently it drew up with a jerk and Clif, aroused from a reverie,
looked about him. He saw the façade of a large church on one side, and
a small garden, inclosed by an iron railing, on the other.
It was high ground and through the trees of the park could be seen the
spires of a number of chapels in the lower part of the city.
The street was apparently deserted, but lights here and there indicated
the presence of inhabited residences.
Clif looked questioningly at the driver.
“Why did you stop here?” he asked at a venture.
“Me wanta show you fine view, señor,” replied the man, respectfully.
“View? I don’t care to see any view. Drive on; I want to reach the dock
at once.”
“But, señor, it take you one minute. It ver’ fine view. All visitor
come here at this time night. It no good any other time. You like-a it
ver’ much. You no regret.”
Clif liked nature, especially in the shape of picturesque scenery.
He knew that he would be late in meeting his chums, but he could not
resist the temptation.
“Hurry up, then,” he said, springing from the carriage.
He did not see the triumphant gleam in the driver’s eyes as the fellow
prepared to follow him, nor would he have understood the meaning if he
had. Suspicion of evil was very far from Clif’s mind just then.
The horses were drawn up to the side of the street and left standing.
As Clif and the driver entered the little park, which seemed
untenanted, a brown-limbed lad, lithe and sinewy, hastily entered by
another gate.
He was panting for breath as if from a long and hard run, but he did
not slacken speed among the trees and bushes a few paces behind the
others.
The driver glanced back once and saw him, but Clif continued on
unsuspectingly to where the park ended abruptly at a low stone rampart.
Beyond this was a steep declivity--a stone precipice--which extended
down with scarcely a break to the roofs of the houses one hundred feet
below.
The face of the precipice was of rock with here and there a tuft of
scraggly vegetation growing in the small crevices.
Clif paid little attention to these details. He was lost in admiration
of the really beautiful view stretched out before him.
Darkness was almost at hand, but away in the east, a soft rosy glow
still lingered above the hills. Down below at his feet was a panorama
of lights and shadows, twinkling sparks of fire, and black objects
grotesque in their vagueness.
The river flowed beyond the town, lighter in color and bearing smudges
which on nearer view would have resolved themselves into steamers and
ships and fishing craft of many sizes.
This much Clif saw and admired, then he remembered the lateness of the
hour and was on the point of turning to go when suddenly he felt a
pair of sinewy arms clasped about his body.
A low voice hissed some command in Portuguese, then a soft object,
evidently a coat, was thrown over his head and wound tightly.
He struggled, of course, and tried to cry out, but the muffled sounds
went no further than his lips.
He writhed and tugged and fought madly to free himself, but those
inflexible arms did not yield.
A hand snatched away his watch, another went through his pockets with
practiced deftness, then came a muttered exclamation, and the lad found
himself being lifted from the ground.
This last movement wrung a cry of terror from his lips. He knew the
intention of his assailants.
They meant to hurl him from the wall!
Crying frantically for help, Clif made one final, desperate effort to
escape.
He struggled to free his arms until the muscles stood out in great
bands; he kicked and butted, fought with hand and knee and teeth, but
he was slowly and surely forced back against the hard stone rampart.
Then came the end. There was a last mighty effort, then a wild cry rang
out into the night echoing down, down, down until a soft, crouching
thud placed an abrupt period to the horrible shriek.
And then, silence!