The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-08-18

lighted up, table spread, and about
dozen ecclesiastics seated round it.
At one end of the board Il cowled and
partially shrouded FIGURE of unusual
tall stature and gaunt frame was
standing erect, who rs | entered the
room, beckoned to me to come up to
an empty scat next him. This, | sap
posed, must be the father superior Dig
by had spoken of, and these were prob
ably the monks he was to bring with
him. But why rejection at this hour
of the night? And would they expect
me to 90 to nocturns afterwards? was
my passing thought Depositing the
candlestick on the oaken sideboard, |
moved on to the vacant place, sa}uting
my host with bend of the head, for
he made no sign of extending his hand
to greet me. | remained standing, in
the expectation of hearing some cere-
monial grace or bcnediction, and stole
a momentary glance round the assem-
blage. Every one was closely habited
in friar's vesturc of sable hue, no part
of the person visible except the faces
deep Swallowed within the projecting
hood. All eyes seemed entently fixed
upon me, and what could discern of
the monks features looked very pallid
and emaciated, such as one may some
times see in rclgieux abroad, notably
nuns, under rigid discipline and over
done HASTINGS. The company number
ed eleven besides him who presided
and myself; but certainly Brother
Crispin was not among them.
But what chiefly arrested my eye
was the centrcpiecc of the table, an eb-
ony stand, or Golfer, shaped like a min
iature altar-tomb, upon which rested a
human skull. | had a vague impress
sion of fagons and platters round the
table, but that was all; the deaths
head was the grisly object that held
me. The situation was most mysteri-
Gus; but called to mind that some of
the religious orders-the Cistercian, to
wit-were wont to keep a skull visible
to the brethren while at meals, the bet
ter to emblemize the brcvity of human
life. Then, too, the Trappists and 9th
ers of the stricter coniraternties en-
| forced absolute silence on their men,
bers; so it might be that this was the
rule here. These reflections were the
| intuition Of moment or two; and, as
my gaze passed from the centrepiece
to the gigantic form of the superior, |
could see his deep-set eyes flash and a
grim suggestion of a smile fit over his
thin lips. A forbidding visage it was :,
indeed, inscrutable and of relentless ex-
preston. No wonder the recluses I'M
der him looked wan. The man was so
close to me | could not choose but
mark the peculiar cast of his coun-
tenance. Black, bushy eyebrows in
one long straight line, jaws and chin
set in an iron mould, a singularlypro-
truded underlip,-the salient feature,
and over all pallor as of death.
The storm had now ceased there
was No stir of easement, nor any ex-
tornal sound; the dead silence, the
specchless quietudc, of the black-robed
circle, was becoming uncomfortable.
Could it be that they were waiting for
me, the stranger cleric, and hereto
wlthal, but still their guest, to say the
benson before sitting down to meat.
Something within constrained me to
turn and look up towards the cruc;tiN
| had noticed on the wall when enter
ing the house. 1t was gone. At this
instant all the eleven, OWNING, as it
seemed, what was going to do, sprang
from their seats and gesticulated to
me with outstrecthed arms and amaz-
ing vehemencc to dcsst. You know |
! have the repute of being Il good Ang-
lican Catholic, and | have always rev.
erenced the symbol the Exalted Mas
ter wherever l may find it. Under an
overpowering influence, | straightway
began "In nomine PATHS" making the
sign of the cross. Instantly the form
of the superior leaned toward, and, tow
ering up, overshadowed me, his harsh
! features aglare with mcnacing malig-
nifty; the lights went suddenly out,
and found myself to be in utter dark
ness
Then indeed 4 chill creep of the flesh
and tremor of the soul took possession
of me. Who were these twelve, now
invisible? | felt for the high backed
chair that had stood empty by me, but
could not find it. Then shrank away
backwards to escape touching any Of
them the thought of that was too
dreadful. Should | grope my way to
the wall and creep along it towards
where | thought the table with the
candlestick was? But what if should
encounter any Of those pallid ones? |
had horror of intuition that they
were still there, though unseen. My
eyes, indeed, in the intensity of the
darksome gloom, could almost shape
them out. A sense of nearness of that
dominating form, the malign pervad-
ing presence. stirred me to the mar
row. 50, with extended hands to
guard myself, | crept here, crcpt there,