Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-21

eaTtneQ Two large unheWn DOCKS Oh
stone standing little distance apart.
Fired to fresh energy by this sight,
proof that he was working in the right
direction, he continued his excavations
between the two blocks. After the lapse
OF a rev minutes he paused and thrust
his arm up to the shoulder through an
aperture appearing In the conglomerate.
10 triumphe" he exclaimed. Empty
space behind this. A little more labor, and
We shall be able to crawl into the passage
beyond
Declining Godfreys repeated offers of as
slstance, Idr1s resumed his work enthusiast
dcally, dealing stroke after stroke upon the
wall of earth that barred his way. Down
came the black soil with a rush, as If glad
to meet free air after an imprisonment of
centuries Wider and wider grew the aper-
ture revealing an open space beyond and
at last. Ringing down his tools, Idris de-
CARED tnat the way was now open to the
interior.
w here's the lantern. Godfrey"
The surgeon was already fumbling about
In the sack. With an exclamation of dis
may ne rose to his feet and gave it a
snake, but nothing came forth
BY heaven! Godfrey. don't say that we
have left the lantern behindr'
Ihat Is Just what we have done"
At least the match box is there"
NO: That. too. is minus article
1drfs breathed a malediction AS he him
self had attended to the putting up of their
paraphernalia, the omission was his own.
anu no DIame attached to Godfrey,
The neglect seemed irremedable 1t was
out OF the question to return to Ormsby
Tor the lantern. and yet. without light It
would be hazardous to grope their way
through darkness to the interior of the
hillock. To be so near the point of dis
covery. and yet so far off, was maddening.
shall not return without some attempt
at exploration cried Idris. Wen have
to grope about in the dark and try what
we can discover in that way"
GODFREY 10
this weird suggestion
Stay moment!' continued Idrts. stoop-
Ing over his vest, and feeling In the pockets.
surely ! have some matches here. Yes"
ne added. with cry of delight, drawing
forth metallic box. Here they are!
How many? Three. as live! Three only.
Humph! we shall have to economic our
slender resources. We must feel our way
along the passage I'll walk a few steps
ahead of you. so that II any hurt should
befall me. take warning yourself and help
me II you can. Well not strike these vestas
till We are fairly within the central cham
Der. We may learn something from their
glimmer."
"1drfs having resumed his coat and vest,
was on the point of leading the way when
he suddenly became impressed with the
Idea that there might be some hidden dam
ger within the hillock, and for Beatrice's
sake 1t was not right that Godfrey should
be drawn into it
But the surgeon. though indeed reluctant
W 81 loi ~ttu, Was nevertheless unwilling
to be considered coward, and demurred
to the suggestion that he should remain at
the entrance till 1dris had first paid a visit
to the interior.
Seriously speaking" said Idris. st do
not see what danger there can be- but still
there is the possibility of 1t, and l ought
to meet 1t alone. Beatrice would never for
give me II harm should befan you. Stay
here till l have made a brief exploration"
While speaking he caught sight of the
walking stick with which Godfrey's grand
father had been accustomed to perform his
feats of divfnation. 1t was curiously
shaped, carved SO as to represent SER
pent twinfng round wand the head of
the reptile being set with two green gilt
tering stones in imitation Of eyes.
Pass me your ancestral caduceus." he
said 1T will serve to guide my steps I
wish these eyes were lampsr
Then. waving the surgeon back, he
stepped within the dark hole. which
seemed. in Godfrey's Imagination. to cape
like the mouth Of a great dragon about to
swallow its victim.
1dris sensations on entering the passage
were far from agreeable. Though the
moonlight without was brilliantly white, not
a ray Of 1t found entrance to the passage:
the air within was black and terrible,
and as solid-looking as IL formed of ebony.
His progress was slow and tedious. from
the necessity imposed upon him of halt
ing at each step to feel his way. Before
lifting his foot he carefully explored the
ground in front of him with the stick, and
he touched in turn the sides of the pas
sage as well as the roof. The corridor.
judged by this test. was about seven feet
In height and four in width Roof. walls
and flooring were composed apparently of
solid masonry.
After taking about twenty PAGES Idris.
extending the rod each side of him,
found that 1t touched nothing. The pas
sage had opened out into something wider.
He judged that he had entered the NOR
tuary chamber and was now standing In
the presence Of the dead.
What awesome sight did the black dark
ness hide?
For all he knew to the contrary. not one,
but many Vikings might be entombed here
disposed at different points of the chamber,
their bodies preserved from decay by en-
balming. Like the lost and frozen dead
men. seen sometimes by navigators in
northern seas. they might be in sitting
posture. staring with fixed and CLASSY eyes
as If daring him to advance.
The temptation to obtain glimpse of
the place by striking one of the matches
was very great. but he refrained from the
action, resolving that Godfrey should share
the sight.
Before calling upon him to follow. a sud-
den desire came upon Idris to grope his
way once around the interior.
Exploring the darkness with his stick
he soon hit upon the chamber wall at the
point where it shot off at right angles to
the side of the passage. Passing his hand
over its surface. an action accompanied
oh part ny ltellUS Oh disgust, Inc
masonry being wet and Shiny, he discover
ed what seemed to be rusty rod extending
In a horizontal line along the wall at the
height of about six feet from the ground.
Puzzled at first to account for its use he
came to the conclusion that 1t had once
served to uphold the tapestry with which
the interiors of these old Morse tombs were
sometimes decorated. The tapestry itself
was gone. crumbled to dust. perhaps, with
the lapse of time. but the metallic rod re-
naming would serve to conduct him round
the chamber.
He shot a glance through the passage
Just traversed by him; the darkness swal-
lowed up its perspective. rendering It i'm
possible for the eye to form any Judgment
as TO its length The entrance seemed close
by. a square patch of white light in which
was framed dark STOPPING figure that Of
godfrey. vainly endeavoring to keep an
eye on his venturesome friend
ldris turned from the passage and hold
Ing the rod with his left hand, and grasp
ing the stick in his right. he advanced
slowly and cautiously along the side of
the chamber wall. over ground that had.
perhaps, been untrodden for ten centuries
After taking six PAGES he was brought
TO halt by the wall inclining again at
right angles. He had evidently reached
one corner of the stone chamber.
Turning his face in this new direction
and still submitting to the guidance OF
| the supposed tapestry-rod. he continued his
progress. exploring the way before him
with the stick.