Page:Augusta Seaman--Jacqueline of the carrier pigeons.djvu/250

224 Again Valdez and Borgia consulted together.

“To-day is the thirtieth of September,” replied the general. “On the night of October third we will have all in readiness, and thou shalt fulfill thy promise. At the same time Colonel Borgia shall make an assault  upon the wall on the opposite side of the  city, and thus draw off the attention from  our place of ingress.” With a few more remarks relative to the payment of the money,  and a hasty and anything but cordial leave-taking, the two Spaniards tramped out,  mounted their horses and rode away. The lights in the room below were extinguished,  the door was shut, and darkness and silence  reigned throughout the farmhouse. But up in their prison room, the two children clasped  each other and shuddered with horror at the  dark crime that was soon to be committed.

“It is frightful, Gysbert!” moaned Jacqueline. “Our beautiful city that has so long and so bravely held out, will be given