The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-23

he took a seat by the side of SybiI
threw his arm about her, and attempt
, ed to impart a kiss upon her lips.
, Sybil struggled in terror, and the
gypsy girl cried out: .0@
"Men why don't you interfere Hs
is rude to the ladyp r;t.E.
!, "We never meddle between Other
} men and their sweethearts. Do we
mates?'called out one.
stNo, no, nol' answered the others.
"Oh, if Satan were here !" cried the
| girl, in despair.
"SArAN IS HERE" responded a
voice close by. =, z--,i..,- 81,
/ And the robber captain stood among
them as if he had risen from the
earth. .-~
Moloch dropped Sybil, and covered
in the most abject manner.
Sybil looked up, and turned cold
from head to foot; for in the hand
some, stately, graceful form of the
brigand chief, she recognized the fin
ished gentleman who, in the character
of "Death," had danced with her at
her own mask ball, and-the probable
murderer of Rosa Blondelle.
While the walls of the cavern SEEM
ed whirling around Sybil, the robber
captain calmly came up to her, lifted
his hat, and said:
esprit of Fire, am happy to well
come you to your own appropriate
dwelling place;" and then, without ex-
pecting an answer, he turned to Mol
och, and said in his smoothest tones !:
''Be so good as to give me this seat,
SIR" se..- =- lla
But Sybil saw that the giant turned
pale and trembled like the tabled
mountain in labor, as he left the seat
by her side, and skunk into another at
some distance. s.e..) sae s...-
The wine passed freely at the rob-
bers' table, and the men grew merri-
er, wilder, more uproarious. Sybil
became very much alarmed; and not
so much by the noisy orgies of these
rude jewellers, as by the dreadful gaze
of Moloch fixed upon her from the op-
posite end of the table where he sat,
and the offensive language of Satan's
eyes whenever they turned towards
her.
! At length, unable to bear the trial
longer, she arose from her seat, and
courtesying to these brigands as she
would have done to any set of gentle
men of whom she was taking leave,
Sybil left the cavern, followed by Gen
tiliska, the gypsy girl.
81 must take you to another grotto.
You cannot occupy mine tonight, "
said the girl, with evident reluctance.
"But, oh! why, why may l not stay
with you? l am afraid to sleep alone
in this terrible place!" pleaded Sybil.
'tI have reason, but 1 cannot tell
it to you now. Yes, I will, too ]
will tell you at all risks! Then it is
this: My chamber is not safe for you
I myself am not strong enough to pro-
tect you! You might be carried of
forcibly from my side! 1 must hide
you where no devil may find you to
night" whispered the girl.
"Oh, do not leave me here alone y
pleaded Sybil. eff 1 must stay, stay
with me! 1 do not fear death: but
oh! 1 fear these men! Do not leave
me !" ....
81 must, for youl own safety. They
must not miss me, or their suspicious
will be aroused" r..... -.
Then pointing to q bed of moss,
and recommending her guest to lie
down and seek repose, the gypsy girl
glided away through the labyrinth Of
caves and was lost to sight and hear
ing. f t e....
TO-. Sybirs first impulse was to start up
and run after her hostess, but she re-
strained herself, and sank half faint
ing upon the heap of moss.
There was but faint sparkling Of
light in the cave. coming from crew
ice in the roof through which the
moonlight entered. ~ .sa4s a..
"Seek repose," Lad been the advice
of Gentiliska.
Sybil dared not seek it if she could,
and could not have found it if she had.
Hour after hour passed In trance-ike
stiffness and silence, when at length
she fancied she heard a creeping,
stealthy step approaching.
:Nearly frozen with terror, she listened
and watched more intently than ever.
Alone, helpless, in darkness and sol
itude, what horrid fate must she meeR
The creeping, cautious footstep drew
nearer, nearer ---s. ....,. r.
Oh, Heaven it was no fancy! The
entrance of the cavern was more deep
ly darkened for one moment and then
the huge form of Moloch stood with
in the cavern and nearly filled it up.
Paralyzed with horror, Sybil could
neither move nor cry out-not even
when the monster approached he., and
put his prof;lne hand upon her face.
The above is all of this story that will
be published in our columns. The
continuation of it from where it leaves
off here can be found only in the New
York Ledger, which is for sale at all
the bookstores and news depots. Ask
for the number dated June 26, and in
it you will find the continuation of
this beautiful tale. The Ledger has
the best stories of any paper in the
world; and Henry Ward Beecher,
James Parton end Fanny Fern, have
rk,oloS ox,orxy Y,.rpahou