Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-04-16

carved, and underneath its name was
written Mary Jane, Portsmouth.
He opened the lid, and plunging his
hands into the interior, drew forth ia
one hand a cheap mirror, and in the
other a string of diamonds. He
dropped both articles at his feet and
tried again. A handful of rings, some
of brass and silver, such as sailors
wear, and others richly jeweled. The
chest was full of glittering objects,
collected with total Indifference TO
their value. 1t reminded him of 4
magpie's hoard. As his eyes became
accustomed to the elfish light, he
made out the figure of man, seated
with his back to the wall, and bend
ing forward as though asleep. He
wore a tattered shirt. rough blue
trousers, and long boots; on his head
he wore a peaked cap.
He CROPPED his way towards him.
and, bending down, peered into his
face. Beneath the peaked cap there
] was a grinning skull.
! With a flying heart and freezing
scalp, he staggered out of the cave.
| What did'it all mean? Why was
he here? How had he and that other
thing that had once been a man got
into such a place? Slowly he recog-
nized the fact that he had been Gagged
Gagged as effectually as any poor
bird for the amusement of the girl
who had found him.
The day wore slowly on. He sat,
gripping his head between his hands.
in frantic effort to retain his self
control.
The sky became shot with scarlet
and gold, and then, in one moment.
turned to indigo, and was spangled
with silver stars. The air became
cold and dank; the caverns seemed TO
breathe a fetid breath towards him.
The moon rose and peered down at
him with a mocking smile on her
dead white face. She cast long
figured shadows across the water,
which burnt into sickly light Of IDS
own, as it cooled and uncoiled itself
about the rugged pillars Of rock.
The black-mouthed caverns gaped
at him and beloved to each other
Suddenly the pool stirred, and
broke into shining circles: from
their center rose the girl. Then for
moment the water seemed TO bolt,
as he had seen il do many times
when a shoal of mackerel rose TO the
surface of the little bay which his
mothers cattage overlooked, and n
score of young girls drew theme
selves from the water onto the rocks
and lodges.
The moonlight glistened in their
eyes and edged their rounded limbs
with silver.
They shook their glorious hair
about them and combed il out with
their small fingers, until he saw each
one of them through a mist.
The girl whom he had first seen
had perched herself above him; the
dun green jewels on her forehead
cleaned in the moonlight, her great
blue eyes were staring into his
She leaned forward and stretched
out her hands to him; he grasped il
and shuddered it was colder than
the dead.
"Why have you brought me here"
he demanded. Give me back my
boat and let me go"
She wound her white arms about
him. The touch of her soulless body
seemed to freeze the blood in his
veins. He moaned and tried to dis
engage himself.
Stay with me-" she whispered,
there in. my home. Is it not fair
to look upon? DO not the winds and
waves whisper pleasantly to each
other here in the MONDAY heat?
Why should you wish To leave me?
Are the land girls fairer than L?
You shall be mine, my own; and at
night, when the moon is high, | will
come and sing TO you-sing until the
stars have faded and the wide hori-
zon burns with the light of morn
ing"
Let me gol Let me gol" he plead.
ed. 81 cannot live here. | tell you
| cannot. Can't you understand that
/ should die, as that other poor devil
in there probably did. raving mad.
man. Give me back my boat, and set
me once more upon the open sea. ]
cannot stay here"
"You must-you shall. You are
mine-mine-mi cried the girl.
Her white arms were clipped about
him, the fierce light Of triumph shone
in her eyes, a knocking smile was on
her lips
A terrible fear of her took com.
plete possession of his faculties. She
seemed to have the beauty of the
snake-utterly loathsome, yet com
handing admiration. He felt abso.
lutely helpless, and conscious Of his
helplessness. A cold sweat broke out
on his forehead and on the palms OF
his hands. He tried 10 struggle, to
cry out. and discovered that he could
do neither.
His sight became obscured. The