SCENE IX.
Outside of Iron Arm's Cave.
Victoria discovered on part of a hanging rock
soliciting her life from a
Robber who stands over her
with a pistol.—Enter
Iron Arm, who comes up to
the mouth of the Cave, and gives a stamp or two,
when an
old Negress appears, whom he directs to
take care of Victoria, ordering the Robber to deliver
her his pistol, which he does, and passes over the
bridge—Iron Arm coming forward meets Doughtie,
who informs him of his ill success in attempting to
assassinate Drake—Iron Arm bids him to keep his
dagger prepared—
Drake entering, Iron Arm accosts
him with every appearance of cordiality, and drawing
him on one side to point out the presents he had
taken from the Spaniards,
Doughtie rushes forward
on the point of stabbing him unperceived, when
a scream is heard from the Cave, and
Oxenham,
darting on at a wing, wrests the dagger from
Doughtie, and shoots him—Victoria is rescued from
her imprisonment by
Alphonso and Oxenham,
both joining in thanks to heaven for her deliverance
—Iron Arm, in the mean time, steals into the Cavern,
snatches a pistol from the old Negress, and
firing at Oxenham, (who is huzzaing and capering
at having preserved Drake's life) kills him, and
immediately escapes unseen—the whole party struck
with consternation and grief!—Drake calls his people
round him, all swear to revenge the death of the
expiring Oxenham, whom they bear off with due
solemnity—the drum beats to arms, and
parties
on each side are perceived skirmishing and in
preparation for battle; the scene closes.
