Page 376 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

tain Mitchell could meet the realities of life in a resolute
and ready spirit. Now he had got over the first shock of the
abominable treatment he was cool and collected enough.
The immense contempt he felt for Sotillo steadied him, and
he said oracularly, ‘No doubt it is well concealed by this
time.’
Sotillo, too, had time to cool down. ‘Muy bien, Mitch-
ell,’ he said in a cold and threatening manner. ‘But can
you produce the Government receipt for the royalty and
the Custom House permit of embarkation, hey? Can you?
No. Then the silver has been removed illegally, and the
guilty shall be made to suffer, unless it is produced within
five days from this.’ He gave orders for the prisoner to be
unbound and locked up in one of the smaller rooms down-
stairs. He walked about the room, moody and silent, till
Captain Mitchell, with each of his arms held by a couple of
men, stood up, shook himself, and stamped his feet.
‘How did you like to be tied up, Mitchell?’ he asked, de-
risively.
‘It is the most incredible, abominable use of power!’ Cap-
tain Mitchell declared in a loud voice. ‘And whatever your
purpose, you shall gain nothing from it, I can promise
you.’
The tall colonel, livid, with his coal-black ringlets and
moustache, crouched, as it were, to look into the eyes of
the short, thick-set, red-faced prisoner with rumpled white
hair.
‘That we shall see. You shall know my power a little bet-
ter when I tie you up to a potalon outside in the sun for a