The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-11-01

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"The men and women who came in with
this awful, beautiful creature were dark
mostly, and reminded me of the gipsies |
used to see when | was boy at home
England. One of the girls, dressed
outlandish clothes, embroidered in
and gold, came up and offered InSsH '
wine-even held it to my lipsk-aAd the
scent of it made me mad to taAete.& The
girls arm was close round my necHNlnd
her wicked eyes, dr. and bright as a toad's,
were looking into mine with mocking
smile, as she sang soft, strange song, like
laughing and crying all in one But Ishut
my teeth hard, and turning away my head,
closing my eyes, determined to resist her
with all the strength of my will so long as
[ was conscious. Even in that dreamy,
bewildered state, felt afraid of entirely
losing my senses, and something seemed to
tell me l was lost if yielded for an in
slant. My tempter laughed then, loud,
hideous laugh, and flung down the silver
cup she had offered me- The wine
split, and l fancied it turned,
flame as it touched the-fo0g.
| ''Still had no power to speak or mon
from my place, but watched VermudynV
more eagerly than ever. The supper-table y
was pushed on one side and the room was
now filled with dancers, dancing fercely
and madly to wild tune, like the song of
the gipsy when she leaned over me with
the poisoned wine. The tune rose louder
and higher and the dancers moved faster to
keep time with the ,unearthly music-un-
earthly and wild, so beautiful that | .
could have listened forever, | thought
At times it sounded IKE the wind signing
through the aspens at night then it rose
to roar like waves bteaking on the beach
in storm. Yet, Nithal the changing
sound, the roar of sthrm, and the wailing
of the wind-tears ami laughter and pain
the music still kept time and tune, and
the mad dance went on without a pause.
Foremost among Il km all was Vermu-
dyn and the woman in ite with glitter :
ing eyes and hair holding =
fast in his arms as th5 pupl
head lay on his shoulde
bent down over hers
| watched him, that h7
as white as the girl /hd
great eyes blazed with sud
shuddered to look /at them
danced and clasped VermuI
tinge of color came into her
her cheeks we . shade less
"Still the da anced, and st
brighter gM wdrmer, but not
woman 1t. And Vermudyn,
straw straw fitting round and round
pool became weaker and faih
miyGte, an4 his face was now
gdostly to see; but his eyes were
on the girl, and he could see notI
feel nothing besides. Her shini1
had got loosened in the dance, and
to be flying round them like thin
flames as they moved
'fIt was she now who held Vsrmudy
and forced him still to dance. His a
wee round her yet; but her strength all
sustained the tainting man. she h|
roind as ftSsily as ever, her feet scarce
touching the ground. The noise grew
furious and deafening-rnusic and laughter
shoits and screams that made my blood
runI Icdd, with snatches Of old song between,
well III mingled together in one hidsous
mi9bk roar.
.'1lie faces Of the men or the demons
who look their shape got more fendish as
helidanced when suddenly the dancers
sweH out of the room in wild crowd,
ius as they had entered it, and in their
NY .yernudyn lying dead or seneleas on
til hoor. / trSd to move-to reach him
81 yehow at pdeSperate pass; but |
| odldn't stir i finger. IsSruggled to shout
4ud-to call his name. | might have
Fen dead for all the help l could give him.
I tlad no power to speak or move.
Directly that demoniaeal crew left the
Eoom, the lights seemed to fade and the
fire grow dim. Thick darkness fell over
everything, and I could not see ray of
light from where l now lay like helpless
log.
II remembered nothing moro until |
opened my eyes in broad daylight, stiff and
shivering with cold. | was laying at the
entrance of little cave among the rocks,
wrapped in my blanket, and close to the
embers of dying fire. My hsrEs, saw,
was picketed not far from me.
"I was still in the Devils Panniken,
sure enough. l saw the road by which
we had come last night; but the place was
strange to me; these were not the rocks |
had seen before, which surrounded the
place where we had spent the night.
1--WE? | was quite alone now, and
broad awake The house and all else had
vanished. As the recollections of the past
night came crowding back, Isprang up and
looked around in wonder. The house
the very room-in which I'd been was so
distinctly before my minds eyes, that |
stood staring in amazement to find myself
alone No vestige of the house | have
described to you, and no VermHdyn either.
L L. T .1aop mod 80
searched for him in sort of frantic hurry, y
and shouted his name but heard only the -
echoes answer me.
''I tried to get further into the cave at
the mouth of which I'd been lying; but .
soon found the way closed by big chunk
of rock There was no other outlet to the
cave, and there was nothing to explain the -
mystery. There was no sign of Vermud5n
or his horss that, no doubt, had prayed j
during the night But where.e@ he?. .
And where, above all, hadl~e two spent
the night? was fairly stunned felt
for my knife, my revolver These with
my belt were save enough. had lost
nothing. was simply cold, hungry, and
quite alone, save for my nag and how
glad was of that companion, / can't tell
you. He would be the means of getting
me away from that awful place faster thaga
my legs could carry me-.
'4 found hunch of bread and some
meat in my wallet, but I was too excited
and wretched over Vermudyn's disappear
ance to light fire and boil some tea As :
soon as I'd swallowed down my breakfast I
mounted my horse, and rode backward az
forward for good two hours, searching
the body, for was clear in my own
| that ,,,r moor old rnnfo- rr.a dosd.