The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-10-16

WheeSht" he replied after a mo-
ment. "A'm thinkin' All hear some
thin comin'"
1 moved hastily, and my outstretched
hand came in contact with something
which seemed to project from the wall.
1t gave way and fell to the sand. Soft
as it was, it made a hollow sound
not loud indeed, but loud enough in
the silence to make my heart stand
still. We stood and listened anXiously.
Yes, 1 could hear it nova footstep.
1t was heavy, and it was coming to-
ward us. Menzies turned and, grasp
ing me by the arm with grip like
iron, whispered almost in my ear the
words: ''Dinna ye move. Staun' close
tae the wa an let him gang by" 1
did as was told.
The heavy footstep came nearer.
Then a voice muttered, "Madre de
Dios!" close at hand. A gray figure
that looked gigantic in the shadow
close in front of me. 1t stopped and
seemed to listen. Then it muttered
something that sounded Ikea curse at
the darkness, and then it moved on
ward again. The figure had passed
me. l felt that 1 shrank back. l was
sure l could have touched it as it went
by. Something in the hand of the
figure gave faint CLEAN of light. 1
knew that it was carrying a naked
dagger.
The shadow melted away in the
darkness, and next moment another
shadow followed it. There was dull
sound of a heavy blow, of a muttered
exclamation, of a soft yet heavy fall
in the sand. Then Menzies' voice whis-
pered as the gray shadow passed me
again: 1.-THE Lord be thankit. That's
ane deevil the less. But dinna stop
here. It's like there's mair whaur he
cam frae."
1 followed my companion. In an
other instant l could see that we were
opposite the passage by which they
had brought us into the cavern. The
gray, uncertain light was a little
stronger, and, peering into the dark
ness, l saw what appeared to be the
faint crimson reflection Of dying fire
somewhere beyond the passage. Dark
er shadows seemed to fit across it, and
the sound of voices reached me. l
stopped to listen, but again Menzies'
voice whispered urgently: "Dinna stop
yet. Maybe they'll pass us by" We
went cautiously forward into the
darker shadows. 1t seemed to me that
the place stretched indefinitely before
us. We must have gone for some dis
tance, for the voices that had seemed
to be coming nearer died away into
silence.
We both stopped and listened, but
there was not sound "We'd better
gang forrad, Am thinkin'," Menzies
said at last. "Ah wudna wonder but
there's some road oot O. this near by"
l took the hint and moved ON, but we
had only gone a few yards when we
stopped again by common impulse
There was a sudden band of light
which crossed the darkness before us
at no great distance. 1t was evidently
a light, and it was coming toward us.
We waited breathlessly, and after
minute or two that seemed to be more
than as many hours it came in sight
1t was a ships lantern, and woman
was carrying it.
She came suddenly out of a cross
passage and stopped. Then she held
up the lantern as high as her face and
peered forward into the darkness. It
was q strange face which the lantern
showed, a girlish face, with a pale,
clear skin and fair hair, eager, anxious,
wild and almost beautiful as it looked
out of the mass of her loosened hair
but with strange, vacant eyes, in which
all the time there was a gleam that
looked like fire. 1t was Menzies' low
whisper at my ear that brought me
back from my wondering question who
she was and what it could mean.
"Eh, mon, isn't yon a sicht?" There
was low, fierce ring even in the
whispered words. Its the lassie All
saw in yon deevil's den. Am thinkin'
she's English and she's game clean
daft"
felt sure he was right She came
toward us as if she saw us, although
the strange, far away look in her eyes
seemed to forbid the idea. At any rate,
she would see us directly. Would she
scream then and give the alarm? The
same idea had evidently occurred to
my companion, for he suddenly stepped
forward and spoke.
II say, lassie, whaur are We gaun?'
he said clearly in his usual deliberate
fashion. For moment she started at
the apparition as he'emerged from the
darkness. Then the sound of his words
seemed to reassure her. Her face
cleared, and a strange smile lit up her
large blue eyes.
"Come!" she said. "Come! l was
looking for you. You must go away
from here at once or they will hurt
you. You must go home again."
Her voice was low and sweet, with
little Scotch accent and a tone like
that of child who thinks herself ill
used that was infinitely sad. Then she
held up the lantern and looked at me.
"Yes," she said nodding her head,
you are the soldier. But where is
your red coat? 1 wanted to see a red
coat again-only once again." There
was curious half sob in the last
words that made MenZies look at me-
1 looked away. Then she turned away
and led US into the passage by which
she had come. We both followed her
in silence.
At last she stopped and looked back
at IFS "It'S time tO nut the light ont