The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-03-03

out:
+" No real quarrel, Sir Thomasv
"The Englishman turned around and
laughingly waved his hand, and in few
moments we were seated in his carriage,
which stood before my Cousins gate.
Sir Thomas wished to drive himself, so
he dismissed his servant, and we set out
for RothaIps. As the carriage slowly
mounted the sandy path, curious feel
ing OF depression came upon me. Sir
Thomas, too, was grave and, noticing my
want of spirits, said:
"' You like those spiders, Frantz, no
more than | do. But, thank Heaven,
there are no really dangerous ones IN
this country. The spider-crab, which
your cousin has in his box, comes from
French Guiana. 1t infests the large,
marshy forests with their warm vapors
and scorchingly hot exhalAtions; in TACT,
such a temperature is necessary t. 1t.
Its web, or one might rather Say its huge
net, envelops whole thicket. 1t catches
birds, as our spiders catch flies. But, my
boy, drive away from your mind all
thought of such horrible Ihings;' and,
as the subject changed, my good spirits
gradually returned, and boy like, was
soon laughing at my fears.
"The carriage, drawn by little horse
from the Ardennes, as spare and sinewy
as a goat, climbed up the almost perpen-
dicular path. Millions OF insects buzzed
among the heather. Above US, on our
right, stretched the dark-colored border
OF the forest of Rothal ps, through whose
shady depths only an occasional glimmer
OF sunlight could be seen. On our left
tumbled the little river Spinbrown,
whose water sparkled with brighter
blue the higher we assembled, and redou-
bled their tInkling music.
" The whole scene deeply impressed
and captivated me. Sir Thomas had
abandoned himself to one of his frequent
reveries, while the horse, lett to his own
guidance, plodded along with down-bent
head and steady gait. soon the ascent
became less steep as We came to the
Chevreuil pastures fecked with dark,
quivering shadows. My face had been
turned away toward the vast perspective
on the other hand, but now my eyes were
insensibily drawn toward the shade, and
saw that we were within hundred PAGES
of the Spinbrown cavern. The shrub
berry which surrounded it was Of the most
luXuriant green, and the stream before
taking its plunge as waterfall was as
calm and as clear as a sheet of crystal,
save for the vapor which rose from its
surface. The horse stopped Of himself to
gain his breath, and Sir Thomas, rising
from his seat, gazed for a few moments
on the surroundings.
a. How calm aud still everything is,
he said.
Then after a moments silence:
II were alone, Frantz, should be |
inclined to battle in the pool
az But, Sir Fhomas,' | sail, why |
should you not bathe? l can very we'll |
take a stroll while you do so. l know OF |
I strawberry bed not far from here. | |
Will go and gather some, and come back |
or you in am hour
" Well, Franz, l confess | should like
. bathe; it will do me goDd; drive out
;ome Of the burgundy which your cousin
colds m about; and the spot itself
emprs me-
i" Then stepping to tie ground, he fast
med the horse to a small tree, and waved
! farewell 10 me. | saw him sit down
lpon the turf and commence TO draw off
lis boots. When had gone some little
distance he turned round and called to
ne:
az In an hour, then, Frantz'
These were his last words.
An hour latter | returned to the pool.
he horse, the carriage and Sir lhomas's
lothes lying OH the grass were all that
net my sight. The sun was sinking, and
be shadows growing lon er each mo-
nent. The birds had ceased to sing, the
lyriads oil insects to buzz among the
1liage. An almost death-like silence
it heightened me. / climbed
pom the rock which faced the cavern,
nd looked around. No one to be seen!
shouted out. No answer, save the echo
I my own voice. The night was closing
apidly in. An indefnable fear oppress-
d me. Suddenly the story of the young
irl who had mysteriously disappeared
anne to my mind and l scrambled down
ON the rock. When, however, l ar
we'd in front of the cavern | stopped
hort, seized with an ineXpressible ter {
Dr.; as my eyes fell on its inky black I
ess a horrible movement of ghastly
mbs at depth, too, which probably no I
uman eye had ever penetrated before. {
ear had sharpened my sight; my senses, t
! fact, were all quickened. | could hear q
le plaintive song of a nightingale rising I
ON a neighboring bush; from the dis
Lnce came the barking OF some village C
0g; sounds, however, which were soon |
rowned by the furious beating of my a
cart. Uttering shrek of terror, fed, |
king no heed OF the horse or carriage. !
/ less than twenty minutes | burst S
trough the door of our house and cried I
1t: h
''' Run run Sir Thomas he is dead |,
lad in the cavernp AS the words LETT e
Y mouth, those who heard them being
y cousin, the servant Agatha, and one /
two others, l fell in dead faint. =
lter, l was told. that for some hours l n
As IN a wild delirium. y
g The whole village set out to work for =
r Thomas. At 10 O'clock they returned, /
inging with them the horse and ca u
age and Sir Thomas's clothes. They :,
ID discovered nothing; it was impos- -
Ole to advance more than a Jew PAGES r.
yond the mouth OF the cavern without -
ing suffocated. While they were :,
rav, Agatha and sat crouching in q :.
rner by the hearth. |, still half deli )"
,us, uttering incoherents words; she, ~
tn her hands crossed upon her knees, y.
n eyes extended, only moving to go =.
I'M time to time to the window and =,
er forth into the darkness. She could O.
e the light Of their torches far upabove a.
=. - hoo, H.