The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-09
THE TRANSIT OF THE
"RED DRAGON"
BY EDEN PHILLPoTTS.
Copyrighted.


forth again tomorrow. they can bring
with them a fresh ateed FOR Manrique."
Noircarmes hesitated some few mo-
ments, but finally decided that this was
The only practicable course. He was
better mounted than The troopers, and
therefore decided TO accompany Won
der Hvyls.
The solciers, completely >cceived,
did as they were bid and FASTENED after
their companions, but hardly were
they out of sight before the two
rascals pricied their steeds and gal
Ioped speedily back upon the way they
had come; while all trace of lameness
in the mount of Won der lIuyls utterly
vanished.
This, then, was the result Of the last
deliberation. Noircarmes had sketched
the crude plot, and matters fell out eN-
actly as he foretold. The return jour
ney was TO be made by himself and one
Enthusiastically TO exchange lame
horse for the tethered mare, in reality
ON widely different errand.
"The baser Sort" said Noircarmea,
Shave no soul that can rice superior
TO fleshly torment"
"But this Manrique, take IL, hath a
devil. Else whence his powe-g"
"a red-hot dagger point may find an
answer easier than l."
Dawn was already grny, and black
cock calling in the pines, when the
horsemen galloped back to the cleft in
the rocks, and, making fast their
horses, strods to where the bonfire.
now reduced TO pile of white ashes and
black, sent upwards slender column
of smoke. But kick from Won der
Huyls showed glowing embers beneath
the charcoal, and revealed fire amply
hot enough for his purpose. Great ST.
lence had settled within the rocky the
ater. Under gray dawn, the low cliffs,
the pine trees, the tumbled masses of
stone upon the sward, and the yawning
mouth of the cave, Gimly indicated be-
hind its curtain of briar and bush, sug-
gested unutterable desolation. Aspirit
OF loneliness brooded ever the spot; no
ear but Gods would note mans loud
est yell of agony ringing there.
To the cave Noircarmes and his COM
panion turned their footsteps, design
ing TO bring forth the prisoner, stake
him to the ground beside the fire, and
then try what devilish cruelty could do
towards dragging his secret from him.
Both yet wanted some fifty PAGES of the
cavern when, from the black depths of
it, came a strange rumbling MS of dis
tant thunder. The sound increased
and ended as suddenly as 1t had begun,
with vibrating crash that seemed to
suggest that the great pillars of the
cave had fallen aud overwhelmed the
interior. A glede, startled from her
roosting place, shot on slanting wings
from the darkness and scared swiftly
to the crags above. Dead silence fol-
lowed, intensifying this sudden fury
of sound and hidden motion. For
moment the masks were staggered.
Such manifestations from grotto ten
anted only by one helpless prisoner.
offered problem not easily solved.
what make you of that?" asked
Won der Huyls, uneasily. "They say
the devil helps his own"
"This place hath an evil repute, so tits
said," answered Noircarmes; "but
neither man nor fiend yet turned me
from q purpose. Draw your sword and
follow me closely"
They strode together into the dark
ness and chill air OF the cavern, and
for moment it seemed as though tho
soldier had disappeared, but further
scrutiny showed a prcstrate white form
lying at tho base Of the pillar to which
he had been bound.
Gle hath been stricken down." whis-
pered Won der Huyls. "Of truth that
devils din was created by things hid
den from fleshand blood"
Hold thy fools tongue and bear the
torch more steadily" answered his COM
panion, as pushing forward, he stood
beside the prone shape.
But even Noircarmes felt his heart
leap and the hot blood fog ut his tenn
Piles before spectacle now stretched
under the torchlight upon the ground.
Instead of Manrique, there lay con-
torted, rnisshapen monster, with the
limiSs Of y gac all horribly twisted and