The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-04-09

could elude my deadly pursuer. Goinl
deity backward, turned the angle II
the wall, and then plunged at the ut
most speed Of a young, active man along
the black passage. Instantly l knew
was pursued. Meeting another crossed
path j struck into 1t in an opposite di.
rection. The maniac instant followed
me. What race through those caver.
nous depths of the madhouse! What
tragic pitfalls might lurk at every step
what black and stagnant pools lie wait.
ing to engulph me what deeper depth
of icy blackness into which to flll-and
fall forever!
The passage grew narrower. We
were perhaps, under the very center OF
the building, and farthest from the
outer air. l had tried to breathe noise.
lessly the effort exha usted me, knew
nothing OF the labyrinths; could only
guess at our position by the distance
from the entrance. 1 had counted the
turnings we had made. / thought /
could retrace them. My strength was
failing. was fleetest, but he was most
enduring.
Presently he would run me down. II
was a terrible venture, but the necessity
was imminent. would try it. Gath.
efing all my force darted like an arrow
on into the darkness. The suddenness
Of my increased speed baffied him. ]
succeeded in putting fifty yards between
us, gained and turned the next angle
then drawing myself against the wall
with every nerve and muscle strained
into preter-natural tension, with the
mighty heave Of my chest crushed into
silence by an iron effort of despairing
will,waited for him to pass me. heard
him come rushing on with new strength,
through the blackness, reach the angle
turnit striking his massive body aga inst
the jutting stones. 1 heard him spring
likeananinial on along the track. Ifelthi.
hot breath like steam-the foam of his
set jaws flung across my face-and he
stopped. 1 felt that he was feeling foi
me!-that he was cr0uching. on the
stones. l saw the red fire of his eyeball
glare up to me through the darkness. ]
felt the touch of his icy flesh on INV
hand. Like lightning he raised himself
and throwing his vast weight against
me, pinioned me to the stones. All the
mad rage of man at bay surged up
ward to my brain. L clasped my knife
convulsively, and seized him by the
throat, resolved to die hard. 1t wa.
hairy-.it was shaggy. The hands against
my chest had thick coat of fur. 1 clasp
ed him to my breast. 1t was Lion-my
dog Lion!
"Great Heaven, Winter Keene
What kept you the whole night in that
cursed dead house? 1t is near by; the
door has been open these two hours, ,ant
Derby and King have been asleep.
was getting on my boots to look TO
you"
"Why in the name of common sens,
did you let this dog out after me? viii
you tell me that?"
"Why, he hOwled like maniac, ant
clawed the door till if l had been sus
picious, l should have thought you il
some danger and could not keep hin
in.n
danger! Well, we can't talk now
Rouse yourself, l have had an interview
with your maniac, and he is prOwlin;
around the grounds after me now. Cal
up the men. l must go after Phillip
immediately"
MY God you don't say so ?''
Eyes, don't waste a moment"
In five minutes the whole force of tn
hospital was out in the grounds. w
took him in the angle of the great door
crouched behind the jutting wall, wait
ing for me! He drew his lips back owe
his teeth, in the dumb ferOcity of ma,
brute, as he saw me, and his eyes settle,
into dull, lurid gaze, impossible to de
scribe, as he hissed out:
"Ha this is twice-tUice your tri
umph, wait till the third time"
Around the blazing CRATE of the temp
est-tossed night, we shook hands owe
the glad reunion, and after the story
was over, and the horror first, and tn
story after lat the close of my adven
ture,) and Derby and King had left, AN,
Harry Leigh and stood at the window
watching the young winter day ris
over the hills, there was something yer,
like tears in his bright blue eyes as h
pointed to the granite walls of the ma,
house, and said:
"constance would have gone there
Winter, had you died, and mine woult
have been heavy life after"