The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-07-20
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: THE BURST HEART" " !
A SpOoky Tale.
D BY NEVILLE CAIN,
BY NEVILLE CAIN.
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A SpOoky Tale.

Ihe people OF the land OF ON had
fallen under the white curse. Half
+he kingdom had already gone over
tie flowery plains and past the verdant
groves to the gray cliffs on the desolate
horizon-into those fastnesses inacces-
sible save to those who were called
aud they never returned.
In the midst of the feast, in the tenn
pies, in the midnight slumber, the sum-
mons came, and the stricken one
straightway rose and girded up his
lolns and departed. Ghastly eidolons,
emissares from that dread bourn,
came and breathed once in the face OF
the victim, whose heart turned to ice
within him and his cheeks to marble.
Burnt offerings smoked incessantly
upon the altars; supplicatlng hands
grew rigid before the silent gods in
vain. uorreck the Hermit had said
that if one only survived the ordeal
which awaited the stricken at their
journeys end, the curse would be lift
ed.
Then a great resolve was born in the
heart of Ark the Prince.
Days and nights tasted he in the
cave of the hermit until, purged of
earthly dross. his soul stood well nigh
bare. The eidolon passed and touched
his brow.
Go now," said Horreck. overt thou
not pure in heart what tell thee would
still avail thee nothing. But remem-
Der, with all thy concentrated might
hold fast to this thought: Remove not
thine eyes for ever so brief an instant,
for the millionth part of a second, from
The Face, or thou art lostr
Through the great riven rock. whith-
er he had arrived after incredible hard
ships, The prince at length took his
way, ever drawn on as by terrible
magnet.
At some distance before him rose a
gloomy edifice of dark rock whose col
umns were lost in the sulphurous
clouds.
Two condors wrestled In the portico
over romething raw and bleeding,
which parted, and they drew back
with raucous croaks as Ark walked
between them, through the great pUr-
\ tai, and stood in the outer corridor Of
the temple Of Fear.
AS he proceeded farther onward he
became aware of a pounding noise, as
upon great drum, accompanied by
the horrible wheeling of some strange
wind instrument, which caused the
flesh of his scalp to draw up into a
knot, while above the wall which sepa-
rated him from the inner temple he
saw the shadow of some dread thing
waving to and fro.
Suddenly a chant arose, "Hu, hu, hu,
hui" monotGnously repeated, and then
he emerged into great, dripping, reek-
ing, cavcrnous chamber.
1t was lit up by Il pale torch burning
from human skull before an altar in
the center of the great hall. Upon this
altar lay burst human heart. Drip
ping with icy sweat, be raised his eyes
to that which sat upon throne at the
farther end of the hall - the Great
White Snake, the god of fear.
From side to side it slowly swayed,
while its awful eyes transtiXed him.
About the altar, with CHASTITY faces and
tottering steps, moved procession Of
pilgrims. Around their feet swarmcd
scorpions, spiders, rats and countless
vermin. At the boom of n great bcll
in the dome Il priest approached and
led a devoted one through door, and
the procession moved on. Ark took
his place among them at sign from
the priest.
AT length it was his turn to pass the
fateful door, from which none had re-
turned. AS it closed upon him he per
ceivcd that they had entered upon
great, gray plain the horizon of which
was dim in misty twilight. From an
incalculable height in the lcaden clouds
descended a chain, at the end Of which
hung great ring.
Art ready for the ordeal, o wretch
ed one" said the priest, leading him
beneath the ring and bidding him grasp
it. IF thou endurest peace shall reign
and happiness prevail in thy native
realm. Shouldst thou fail, thy heart
shall feed the vultures."
One glance about him, and he per-
ceived the remnants of many carcassos,
while in the distance dusky forms flap
ped from point to point. Softly he
was lifted from the plain and began
sickening swing. simultaneously from
the sky dawned The Face beautiful be-
yond words. Remembering Horreck's
injunction, he riveted his eyes upon it,
though it seemed as though they would
burst from his head, though his swol-
len heart choked his breath.
Out, out. out, from horizon to horizon,
stone deaf with the swirl Of the air, he
swung. His hair was scorched, his
clothes in blackened rags, but ever up
on The Face Beautiful he strained his
gaze.
Out, out, out, beyond the confines of
the earth's atmosphere swayed the
great pendulum. Out, out, out, over
The black void of space
But through all shone The Face, and
never from it for an atom of time wan
dered his fading eyes, and at length,
when death seemed near, it smiled,
and he knew his task was done, his
victory won and his people free.-New
York Herald.
IT Is noteworthy that one very sell