The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-23
A Noble Knights Adventure

Sir Reginald de Cuthbert, returning
from the Holy Land. belated in a forest
sank or. the ground to sleep
He arose and perceiving light Went
toward it Arriving at a castle gate ne
knocked No answer was returned put
he felt an ice cold hand seize MIN ana
pun him on
Presently his guide left him. Horror
and chilly terror shook his WhoAe
rounded him was still uninterrupted
The knight was fixed to the grouhu'
wildly staring through the lnpehetla,
Bile darkness. At length hollow souAu
was heard, which seemed at a sreass
distance. After a long pause It Y1ofated
in his ear a second time me loed tlde
he had nothing more to lose anu tli.ss
every means of effecting an escape
from that residence of horror was cut
off entirely, subdued ms rear am
prompted him to follow that souAu-
A few PAGES on brought MIN 10
stone staircase. Having descended nNe
steps a doIeful groan seemed 10 pro
coed from a room not far distant Lne
knight advanced slowly ana with Tue
utmost circumSpection, muslnS on HtS
perilous situation, when at once ne ielt
the passage obstructed by q door Wnlcn
opened without difficulty
The room to which it led was also a
residence of darkness and dlslhal 81
lence The knight was resolved to enter
it boldly Fortunately he examined tas
entrance with his foot before he pro
ceeded, and found with unspeakaple
horror that it was bottomless
The hollow, dismal sound again
struck his ear from a small distance;
He shuddered violently and staggered
forward Everything was now lonely
and silent all around. At length ns
came to a second staircase, ascenued
seven steps and then descended as
many, when his eyes suddenly behelo
faint glimmer of light which seemed
4 - 81 y
| lance Coming nearer, the knight Cd
served that he was standing on tne
| brink of a deep abyss. from when the
| glimmer broke forth. An old hail rot
| ten staircase led down He, however
resolved to risk everything, ana pun
/ ing off his shoes to avoid making q
sound, began to descend.
When he came to the eighth step, ,I me
| knight stopped a moment and then Went
" when hen he had Tea ched the middle the
\ light suddenly disappeared ana lInpeIie-
trabie darkness surrounded him once
He stopped to consider what could be
done, when a stone got loose beneath ms ms
/ feet and he rolled down with a thunder
| ing noise against the door Of the Eaqll d,.
| well known voice exclaimed
Sir Reginald was riveted to the ground
| lips- The door of the vault opened slowly
and a pale white figure appeared enveiss
t NO steps tie lifted up one hand in nenae-
| ing manner and disappeared Ihe slgnJ
| of this dreadful apparitiOn almost petri-
/ fed Sir Reginald on the spot, his senses
seemed to forsake him ana the pAooo con-
| pealed within his veins 80,
The knight having recovered little
| the use Of his senses, with difficulty re-
| gained the top of the steps and from
| fbence perceived a passage quite different
| from the other, and, following 1t, he ar
| rived at the foot of a spiral Staircase
He assembled many steps Al length a
| partition impeded him. He pushed 1orcibly
/ AGAINST it with his right hand and shat
/ tered a glass pane into thousand pieces
| tsXVho is there2" q rough voice eX-
| claimed At the same time door opens
| ed and a most alarming discourse mica
| the knight with dismal apprehenslons-
s'Have YOU sharpened the knifeY one OF
| the takers asked -,
| other voice His blood shall flow abund-
With the words the door burst open
I Horror and despair now winged Sir Regl-
4 maids steps He few down the Stalrcas Sc
| and had scarcely reached the bottom
when he was again seized by the Icy cold
hand which he felt on MS entrance III
/ that abode OF terror -,
| The knights senses seemed leaving MN
| when he came to with start to mo
| himself drenched to the skin, clutching
his sword with both hands, while his
| faithful steed was licking his face, trying
TO make him get up and continue his
journey 49,.
his hOrrid adventures in the haunted cas-
tie were all a. dream
He arose. remounted his horse and II
half an hour was toasting his rect anu
| drinking hot punch before a roaring nre
| in the village tavern at L..