The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-29
A PHANTOM DANCE.

was surprised TO lind himSelf mt II, tho
woods so late. The rain was nonring
down from the inky sky, and tho vinG
made hollow moaning sonpd th,t
wrung his heart with pity for he knew
:;ot what. III utter exhaustion ho s,nl
Gown OH cold, wet mound and listen
ed to tho disconsolato tollinp of n dis.
tant bell.
Suddenly tall, muffied figure stood
before him and beckoned to him tn orise
from his seat He could sec nothing of
tho strange mans face but his ardent
eyes, yet the few simple motions of his
arm gave sensation of dread mingled
with disgust
AS he arose there was q sound of fall
ing earth and stones, and, lol another
figure stood up beside his companion.
With dismay he perceived that he was
standing i'll an old Indian burial ground.
for from every mound black robed spec-
tiers rose and strobe toward him. At
the side of every figure trotted a noise
less dog, with painting mouth and fiery
eyes.
To tho distorted fancy of the Young
man it seemed as if one burning orb in
tho head of each dog were fixed upon
him, while tho other rolled freely i'm
its socket.
When all had closed around him and
squatted down i'll circle, the chief
who had first accosted him drew n pine
from the folds of his blanket and began
to smoke. AS he smoked the glow in
the bowl OF the pipe lighted up his face
and showed two rows of grinning teeth
IF IDI l..
After Il few puffs he arose and began
to tread Ill slow, jerl,y measure around
tho circle, while his loose jointed black
dog trottcd noiselessly behind, fixing
now one, now tho other red eve. on the
young man.
One after another each silent smoker
passed the pipe to his neighbor and
joined the grim procession, and one aft
er another each black dog rose from his
launches and trotted after his master.
Nearer and nearer, the stranger saw,
came his turn to take the pipe, and
wilder and ever wilder grew the gro.
tesque antics of the dead warriors
lie tried to avert his eyes and to CuZc
after the drifting clouds and tho tree
tops that swayed back and forth i'll the
wind, but inevitably, irresistibly his
eyes were drawn back to the dancing
specters and the flaming eyes of tho dogs
And now the measure quickened. The
dogs withdrew from their masters and
formed wheel within whee-each
dog catching tho tail of the dog before
him between his teeth and running
around i'll direction opposite to that Of
the leaping ring of dead braves
He turned to SEQ what was left of tho
outermost circle, of which he himself
formed Il link, and found that only two
more Indians with their dogs were left
squatting on the ground. While he still
scanned them the one passed tho pipo to
the other, and he and his dog were
merged into the two spinning circles
Slowly i'll measured puffs the pale
smoke came from the cavernous nostirls
of the last squatting specter. Ever fast
er whirled tho ring of noiselessly gal
Looping dogs. Tho young man shuddered
as he thought of taking the pipo from
his ghostly neighbor. Ho could hear his
heart humping with apprehension.
His turn came next. The mere thought
of touching the bony fingers of his
neighbor made his own feel clammy.
II he took the pipe, he knew he would
have TO smoke it, and if he smoked it he
would have to join the specters in their
ghostly dance, from which. he felt, he
would never step alive. Moreover, he
had 10 dog like the others, and crazed
as he was by fear he looked about him
fer the sign of some dog, and fancied he
could hear ono trotting toward him far,
Tar from the damp heart of the woods.
Would the creature reach him by the
time his turn came? And what then?
In the meantime his ncighbor pulled
away i'll stolid silence, while the dog
squatting at his side glared at him with
one of his fierce, bright eyes. His
thoughts became confused What if he
Kept the pipe? A single glance at the
cruel eyes of tho dogs convinced him
'hat they would tear him limb from
limb If he did not relinquish it,
He might also refuse to take the pipe
from the spccter. a that moment it
arose and stretched forth IA lean, twist
cd arm with the pipe between the flesh
less fingers. The Young man took it,
and suddenly the dance ceased
All the hollow eyed Indians fixed
their mournful gaze upon him, and be-
hind them crouchcd the dogs with their
row OF burning eyes cleaning forth
from the surrounding darkness
There was a moment of suspense,
during which he could hear the monet
onous splash of the rain driving against
the wind swayed branches.
He hurled the pipe to the ground and
it broke into Il hundred fragments. With
piercing shrek all the gaunt phan-
toms cast away their huttering shrouds
and lcaped forward as so many naked