edro; and if
he attempts any nonsense, just choke him with that lariat."

"This way, Senor," exclaimed Pedro, roughly jerking the lariat in the
direction of the steps, as a hint to the prisoner that he was to descend
them; and in this ignominious fashion the once arrogant but now cowering
and cringing Spaniard was led away under Jack's supervision, while
Carlos, selecting a heavy riding-whip from the rack, followed the
procession. The prisoner was conducted to the negro quarters, which
were situated about half a mile from the house, with a belt of timber
between it and them; and there he was stripped to his trousers, and
firmly lashed to a post which had been hastily erected for the purpose.
Then, the whole of the negroes employed upon the plantation having been
assembled, Carlos related to the blacks the several sufferings and
indignities which Alvaros had caused to be inflicted upon the members of
the Montijo family, and how to him was due the death of the Senorita,
his sister, whom they had all loved so well: and when he had finished
his story he flogged Alvaros until the miserable wretch screamed and
howled for mercy, offering the most abject excuses and apologies for his
conduct, and vowing by all the saints that if Carlos would but release
him he would leave Cuba, never to return; that he would surrender the
Montijo estates to their rightful owner; that he would never breathe to
a single living soul a syllable as to what had passed; and that he would
also do a number of other unlikely, not to say impossible, things.
Then, when his arm was tired, and he could flog no longer, Carlos
desisted, and ordered Alvaros to be cast loose from the stake and
securely confined in an empty tobacco shed, with a negro on guard at the
door of the building to see that he did not escape. When at length the
shrinking, cringing creature was hustled into his prison and securely
bound, Carlos turned to him and said:

"You have now received the second instalment of punishment for your
atrocious crime. You will be kept here until it is convenient to remove
you, being fed meanwhile upon bread and water. And when a convenient
time arrives you will be placed on board a ship and marooned, which will
be the final instalment of the punishment which your evil deeds have
called down upon your head. The best thing I can wish you is that what
you have suffered to-day, and will suffer in the future, will bring home
to you the evil of your ways,