Poor Clif could not help but think of his own fate then. Ignacio's cruelty and hatred were such that no torture would be terrible enough for him. And he seemed to have his prisoner entirely to his own discretion. The great vault through which they were going echoed dimly to the footsteps of the party. They seemed to be down in a sort of a cellar, and they were winding their way through secret passages in almost absolute darkness. But Ignacio knew the way--probably the fellow had been in those gloomy dungeons before. He stopped suddenly and flashed the lantern upon a rusty iron door. It was solid and heavy, but Ignacio took a key from his pocket and unlocked it. It swung back, creaking dismally upon its hinges. And Ignacio flashed the light of his lantern in. He staggered back quite white with fright as he did so. For there was a series of thumping, shuffling sounds, and a shrill noise that made his blood run cold. But in a moment he again stepped forward, laughing under his breath. "Por dios!" he exclaimed. "The rats! They must be hungry!" And he stepped into the room. His foot splashed into a small puddle of water on the reeking, earthen floor. But he pressed on, flashing his lantern about the granite walls. It was a tiny black cavern into which he had come. There was a stone bench at one side of the horrible place, and in the wall by it a heavy ring and a thick iron chain. It was but a minute more before Clif's ankles were locked firmly in the ring, and then he was utterly helpless. For but a moment Ignacio stood looking at him, flashing the lantern full in his face. And then he turned and motioned to the two men. Without a word they faced about and stole away. They went out of the door, and Ignacio, trembling all over with his fiendish eagerness, shut the great iron barrier and locked it. And then with a hoarse cry of rage he faced about. Clif Faraday was alone with his deadly and merciless foe! CHAPTER XVI. IN THE DUNGEON VAULTS. Ignacio was a horrible object to contemplate at that moment, and it was but little wonder that Clif turned sick and faint as he watched him. The man seemed fairly turned into a devil then. He seemed insane. He was alone, absolutely alone, with his victim. And no one under heaven could stop him. He had the key himself! And he had his prisoner iron-bound and helpless! For several moments the man fairly danced about the place, yelling as if to prove to his hated foe that there was no care for anything any more. And then suddenly he made a leap at him. He crouched in front of him until his gleaming eyes shone into his face, and his hot breath could be felt. His claw-like fingers he seemed scarcely able to keep away from Clif. "Yankee!" he hissed, in a wild voice. "Yankee, do you know where you are?" The fiendish man saw the white look on his victim's face; and he laughed.