"Very well! I have particular reasons of my own for wishing that the
man's life should be spared until he could be brought to trial and
induced to give up his accomplices," said Old Hurricane. Then,
turning to his ward, he said:
"Come along, Capitola. Mrs. Condiment will see that your effects are
transferred to another apartment."
"And you, friends," he continued, addressing the men present, "be so
good, so soon as we have gone, to undress that fellow and put him to
bed, and examine his injuries while I send off for a physician; for
I consider it very important his life should be spared sufficiently
long to enable him to give up his accomplices." And so saying, Old
Hurricane drew the arm of Capitola within his own and left the room.
It was noon before the physician arrived. When he had examined the
patient he pronounced him utterly unfit to be removed, as besides
other serious contusions and bruises, his legs were broken and
several of his ribs fractured.
In a word. It was several weeks before the strong constitution of
the outlaw prevailed over his many injuries, and he was pronounced
well enough to be taken before a magistrate and committed to prison
to await his trial. Alas! his life, it was said, was forfeit by a
hundred crimes, and there could be no doubt as to his fate. He
maintained a self-possessed good-humored and laughingly defiant
manner, and when asked to give up his accomplices, he answered
gaily:
That treachery was a legal virtue which outlaws could not be
expected to know anything about.
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