The Bowbells tribune., 1900-05-18


reach her side.
They were on the brink of the pre-
cipitous ravfne known as the Haunted
Hollow. and, parting the underground.
that grew here rank and thick, Rizpah
displayed q steep, narrow path, that
led down into the darkly -shadOwed
depths below.
Swear she said, holding her hand
up toward the setting sun-''swear you
will not betray the secret am going
to reveal to you. Swear it by the men,
ory of Sybfl Leer'
'sMy good woman, l never swear"
answered the doctor, calmly.
He was beginning to suspect there
might, after all, be method in Rizpall's
madness. and he put himself mentally
on guard.
"If I can help you, or any one one
that is in pain or peril, am ready to
do it. NV business is with suffering.
not with crime. The worst villain in
the. world would be safe in my hands,
as long as he needed my services as a
Doctor
She looked at him steadily for mo-
ment. as il striving to read his mean
ing.
you a VI IOOCAC OAl'S'
she asked him, abruptly.
II am neither friend nor foe to any
man." was the old doctors character
istie answer. II am bound by no ties
of kfnskip or friendship. The world
and parted company more than forty
years ago, and have never Joined
hands or hearts since"
Enough said Rizpah, with her
CHASTITY smile. "If you are not his
friend. l can trust you. What you
learn from me will only make you his
foe. Come. ask no further pledge-1
only say to you that there is one III
deadly peril who needs your skill
She turned again, and proceeded
swiftly, though more cautiously, down
the path to the hollow.
The doctor followed her as well as
his sitter limbs would permit, though
the way was steep and difficult
enough to have made him at any other
time heartily anathematize his folly.
But his interest now was thoroughly
aroused. and he determined to follow
this weird old creature, let her lead
him where she might.
At last they reached the bottom OF
the Hollow. through whose gloomy
shadows little stream brawled nolsl-
ly over it's stony bed.
The path was easier here, and R1z'
pah seemed to glide through the long
grass and rank weeds without bending
blade or twig. :,
She still had the quick, elastic tread
of the daughters of the forest; and the
old doctor looked after her and Won
dered, in spite Of all his practical phil.
osophy, if she was indeed creature OF
earth, or some Of those eerie beings
with whom German legends people the
shadowy solitude Of forests like these;
Now the little stream Widened. anu
in the deepest shadow was spanned Dy
rude bridge, consisting Of one moss
grown log.
With the caution Of threescore, the
doctor hesitated before trusting ms
feeble limbs to so frail support; but
Rizpah, turning around, held out her
long, talcn-like fingers to him.
"Do not fear" she said: "the log Is
strong and my arm can balance both
of u.s."
And. walking sideways over the
rough bridge, she guided the doctor
safely and surely over; then, STOPPING
down, before he was aware OF her pur-
pose, she slipped the log from It's rest
ing place, and it fell heavily into the
water.
"Why have you done that?" asked
the doctor, quickly. "Do you mean to
keep me prisoner here?"
'There are two roads to every door"
answered Rizpah. composedly; "but
they are fools who leave the ways
open and the gates unbarred, when
treasure lies within. Come. Harry
Bond" she added, in a gentler tone.
"you are as safe here-aye, safer than
YOU would be in the robbers castle
that crowns yon hill. You are hunts
man enough to know that you have
naught to fear from wounded foe.
They had reached the entrance of the
of the Witches Cave as she spoke, and
pushing aside the deerskin mat that
served to screen the rude doorway, the
old woman led her companion into the
hut where she had, some ten days be-
fore. met Sybil.
A few embers smouldered on the fat
stone that served for q hearth; the
huge stalactite flung its lurid CLEAN
upon the strange abode.
There was no one visible, but
hoarse sound came from some hidden
recess. as Of a strong man struggling
with grief that he could not entirely
control.
The expression of Rizpah's face
changed utterly as the sound reached
her ear. A strange softness crept over
her withered features. and her harsh
voice turned itself almost into tender-
ness as she whispered:
"My boy-my poor, poor boy! THIS
day has made him again child!'
And motioning the doctor to follow
her. quietly, Rizpah lifted another cur
tain that hung at the further extreml-
ty OF the hut. and they entered close
narrow. dark passage, that seemed to
lead into the very bowels Of the eartn.
and which was terminated by an iron
door.
This the old woman touched in a
very peculiar way, and it flew open
noiselessly, revealing to her amazed
companion a wide, vaulted apartment,
furnished with a rude attempt at COM
fort