, 1874-04-11

| her hands crossed upon her knees, her larga
| eyes vide open, going from timo to timo to tho
| window to observe that which was passing. for
| We could see from the foot Of tho mountain the
| torches dashing through the wood. We could
hear their grur voices afsr of calling the one
to the other in the night.
"Upon the approach Of her master Agatha be-
gan to tremble The Doctor entered hastily.
pale, his lips pursed together despair imprinted
upon his face. 4 score OF Tood-cutters fol-
lowed him in tuInult With their large- brlnaIned
hats their sun-burnt features, w.y1nG the dob!'a
OF their torches. Scarcely WAS he within the
| to seek something. He perceived the nesress.
and, without word being exchanged between
them. the poor woman cried out:
No! no do not wish it,
replied the Doctor, in sharp tons.
- 1t seemed IS though sue recognized IN IN
vincible power. She tremhled from head Ia
foot. and, Christian Weber mos,oning her to
seat. she seated herself upon it with al tho
'.4An the assistants, witnesses Of this moving
spectacle, good men With coarSo and primitive
manners, but full OF pious sentiment, crossed
themselves, and l. who did not even know the
name Of this terrible magnetic power OF the will,
began to trembie, Believing that Agatha mas
dead.
"Christian Weber approached the uegreas,
and passing his hand over her forehead With =
rapid gesture, said
scare you there p
"Yes, MASTER
I" Sir Thomas Hawerburch7'
"At these words abe shuddered violently.
80 You see him = .
eyes, yes,' sho said, in stzans1ed voice ;''1
"'Whero il hep
80 Below. in the bottom Of the cavern-dead1'
"'Dead J. said the Doctor. Howf'
TIE SPIDER!
Oh, the Bpider-fike crab-fish !! Ohr
"' Calm your agitation, said the Doctor, now
very pale; tell me plainly
"sThe erab-hsh drew him to the gorge. He
is there, in the corner, under rock, onveloped
in her net Ah!'
t.Chrstian Weber cast cold look apon the
assistants, who, drawn up in circle, their eyes
starting out OF their sockets, listened, and
heard him murmur:
1t is horrible! horribler
'1Than he returned:
a. 'You see him 2
"tI see him.
"tAnd the tish-is it large p
"'Oh! master, never, never have seen It so
large. It is as large as my headp
"There Was long slence. All the assistants
regarded the negress, her hvid faco aud her
bristling hair. Christian Webor alone appeared
calm having passed his hands many hmoa owe:
the forehead Of the woman, he said:
Hawerburch.'
'''He was bathing in tho baain- The fish saw
hirn-sav his naked back, his arms floating on
the water. Suddouly she darted out Ike light
ming and put her claws around the neeE Of ths
Commodore, who cried, "Ohl oh! my God!"
She stung linn and fed. Sir Ha@erburch faint
ed and
DIED IN TIE WATER
Then the fish returned, and surrounding him
with her net, pulled him softly. softly. into the
cavern She had sucked his blood, sna now he
is quite black
s:The Doctor, turning toward me, vino felt Nc
longer any fright, said ..-
-. Is it true, Frantz, that the Commodore Tss
bathing 2
's' Yes, cousin
90 AT what hour 2
'*tAbout o'clock
About O'Clock, ,-vss it not very wsrm7
"'0h, yes
tho forehead, sad tho heat prevented reaist-
ance.'
He muttered some unintelligiblo words, and
then. glancing at tho u1ountaineers, cred:
t.tMv friends behold whence conleA this noasa
Of debris-of skeletuns-Which has tl5rown ter
ror among the bathers. Behold that sshich haa
wholly ruined yon-it is the spider-dals! She is
is there, g!oatin in her web and fhrztEing het
prey into tho bottom Of the caverl: Who can
tell the number Of her victims T" y
"And, filled With = sort Of rage, he r1a1.ed out
crying:
"'FAGoTs! FAno1Br
s'Au the uood-cutters followed hin in tu-
mutt.
:. Ten minutes afterwards two large wagons
filed With fsgots mounted slowly up the side Of
tha mountain. 4 long file Of wood-cattess,
their backs bent and their hatrhots upon thoir
shoulders, followed them in tho midst Of the
darkness. NY tutor and walked on in advance,
leading the horses by their bEidles while tho
melancholy moon dln1y lighted this funeral
march. From time to rlme the Hheels would
grato then the wagons, elevated by the rocky
asperites Of tho Toad, would fall back into tho
beaten track with rough jo!tagB.
ora Inc g;'tod o and e p.11
towards the guilt Tie lmpid water, flowing
over tho sand, reflected the BLUSH Light OF tho
1esinous torches, tho rays OF which lighted
mp the tops Of the fr-trees growing upon thf
rock.
"'We will unload here said tho Doctor; tbs
entrance to the cave must be filed
ut WIS not without q feeling Of terror that
each one set about executing his oEderB- Some
pickets, planted below. prevented the water
from carrying the fngots awoy. Towards mid
night the opening OF tho cavern WEB literally
closed. The water bubbling below escaped at tho
right and left over the MASS. The upper fsgots
we're perfectly dry; then DR.: Weber. seizing a
torch. lighted the fire himself, and the flame,
fastening from twig to twig with cracklings Of
anger, soon shot towards heaven, cha9ing befora
it clouds Of smoke.
''It Was
STRANGE AND SAVAGE SPECTACLE
which those woods, twinkling in the ahadoW8
Witnessed.
.'The cavern continued to disgorge blacA
SMOKE ALI around stood the wood-cutters,
serious, 1u11novab1e, Eaiting their ayes fixed
upon the opening; and I, even although fea1
made me trenble from head 70 foot, could not
detach my regard from it.
. It might have been quarter Of an hour that
We had waited, and the Doctor had begun to
grow impatient, when q black object with long,
crooked feet appeared suddenly in the shado"
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