Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09

chantment worse than ever i heard tell of
until now. Fly. man, fly. ere your veins
turn to stone and your body TO these cursed
crystals! Dear God! l feel the icy hand Of
this horror even now biting under NV
maili'
He turned, dropped his torch and stag
gefed TO the entrance of the cave; while
De Nolrcarmes, scarcely less terrified. Cab
bled ''Pater Noster'' and crossed himself
terVently as he rushed back into the air
Horritle enchantment had most certainly
turned Manrlque TO substance scarcely
less adamantinc than the Red Dragon it,
self; and, to the terrified eyes of the twain
as they made for their horses, it seemed
That the great Flanders mare. sleeping
mouonless under the pines had been like
wise transformed into stone.
And not until the last sound of galioping
hoofs had ceased TO echo did any further
matter fall out within the cavern Then a
low laugh crept, like thawed echo, from
the upper darkness of the roof, q pebble or
two clattered downward and the sound
was followed by louder, of some heavy
BODY climbing, not easily. in the darkness
Immediately afterward a white figure APP
peared and walked across to where Law the
petrified thing which burlesqued humanity
so hideCuSly. 1t plucked the cloak from
this grim semblance of a man, and. throw
ing the same over its own shoulders, pro-
Ceeded to the entrance of the cavern
1t was Manrique, and he presented an an
pearance scarcely less horrible than that
which he had arranged to personate him
he was NAKED, save Tor a cloak about his
loins and another over his shoulders; dry
blood, from his torn nostrils and tattered
beard, had clotted on his face; his hair
was shorn Off and his hasty climb in the
cavern had been responsible for many a
fresh abrasion and wound.
Briefly, the mans friends were to be
thanked for furnishing the power to es-
cape. The soldier who had cast a pile of
Tern beneath his feet whispered at the
same moment that a knife lay hidden I'M
der 1t; and this Manrique quickly found
with his foot. He could not bend TO reach
1t; moreover, his hands, as well IS his
neck, were tied; but his feet had cen left
unfettered, and, after a few attempts the
man succeeded in raising the knife between
MS toes, thereby placing il within reach of
ms hand. The rest was easy, and he soon
stood free. Fearing no further ASA alt for
the space of many hours, he had proc 9eded
with the construction Of a stone dummy be-
was twofold. and he looked forward at the
future. There could be no return for him
to Brussels, for he was aware that Don
GalyH would surely compass his destruc-
ton If he did so. Therefore, he fashioned
the eftlgy, knowing the grotto was account
ed place of magic, and believing that at
slSht OF the StaldgmiteS, men would surely
3Scrlbe his taking off to enchantment and
trouble no more concerning him. He had
been sharply surprised by the return of
Noircarmes and Won der Huyls and OBJ
serving their approach, himself unseen,
made desperate effort to climb into secur-
ity among the powders on the precipitous
sides of the cavern. This he had achieved
but only at the expense of new wounds and
the displacement of rock, which, thunder