Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-05-17

The shadows were lengthening per
ceptibly, and the sun was already far
down in the west. when she paused,
and. turning around, waited for him to
reach her side.
They were on the brink Of the pre-.
cipitous ravine known as the Haunted
Hollow. and. parting the underground,
that grew here rank and thick, Rizpah
displayed a steep, narrow path, that
led down into the darklyshadOWed
| depths below.
"Swear." she said. holding her hand
up toward the setting sun-''swear you
will not betray the secret I am going
to reveal to you. Swear it by the men,
DRY Of Sybil Lee!'
"My good woman, l never swear
answered the doctor, calmly.
He was beginning to suspect there
might. after all, be method in Rizpahf s
madness. and he put himself mentally
on guard.
If L can help you. or any one one
that is in pain or peril, am ready to
do it. My business is with suffering,
not with crime. The worst villain i'll
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-
| n:ent. as if striving to read his mean-
| ing.
| care YOU a friend of Robert Clive?
she asked him. abruptly.
81 am neither friend nor foe to any
| man." was the old Doctors character
istic answer. Il am bound by no ties
| of kinsfip 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. l ask no further PLEDGE
only say to you that there is one in
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 we'll 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 RiZ-
pah seemed to glide through the long
grass and rank weeds without bending
a 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, and
in the deepest shadow was spanned by
rude bridge. consisting of one moss
grown log.
With the caution Of three-score, the
doctor hestated before trusting his
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 a
treasure lies within. Come. Harry
Bond" she added, in 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 a wounded foe"
They had reached the entrance of the
Of the Witches Cave as she spoke, and
pushing aside the decrskin 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 'tEat served FOR neaftn, lne
huge stalactite flung its lurid CLEAN
upon the strange abode.
There was no one visible, but a
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! Inns
day has made him again a 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 earth,
and which was terminated by an iron
door.
This the old woman touched in Il
very peculiar way. and it flew open
noiselessly. revealing to her amazed
companion WIDE vaulted apartment,