The Cairo bulletin., 1904-12-05

|
In the dead silence | got a feeling
that the hand touching me had no body
beh ind ii. was beyond the reach OF
! fear-I was in a way prepared for
anything bat the deep, heart-shaking
horror that sank under the cold,
damp touch OF those fingers. They
! laid hold of my elbow firmly, lifting
as If TO indicate that ! was TO rise.
did so. moving forward passiyely as
| It drew me on. TO my astonishment
| was unable TO hear my own football
or that of my conductor. | though;
we were walking upon soft earth.
| Crossing our path in front OF me
could see, in the darkness, a cleaning
line. We moved slowly, standing still
as our toes covered it, Then suddenly
a light flashed from before end below
| us. 4 cold sweat came out upon me:
staggered back to strong hands that
were laid upon my shoulders, forcing
me to the line again. BY that flash OF
| tight | could see that was standing on
| the very Drink of some black abyss
| indeed, my toes had crossed the edge
OF II. The light came again. flicker
ing and then settling into steady
glow The opening seemed to have a
grassy bottom some 10 feet below. In
| front Of me the soil bristled, on that
lower level with some black and
pointed plant: there were at least a
score Of them. As looked saw they
We're not plants. but square Of bay.
anets thrust, points up. in the grolmd.
A curse came ont of my hot mouth,
and then a dozen voices mocked it,
going fainter, like dying echo. A
tall figure in winding-sheet its face
covered. was leaning over me.
ITO hesitate is to die" IL whispered
Courage may save yog."
Then a skeleton hand came out of
the wnding-sheet pointing down at
the square OF bristling bayonets. The
figure put its mouth to my ear,
Jump" il whispered, and the bare
bones OF the dead fingers stirred i'm
patiently.
Some seconds Of brief silence fol-
lowed, could hear them slowly drip
ping out CT eternity in the tick of a
liiahy ey5s invisible 10 me. A broad
beam OF bright light shot through the
gloom. resting full upon my face.
started back upon the strong hands
behind me. Then | felt my muscles
tighten as | began TO measure the fall
4 4 he
bayonets. | had no doubt was to
die shortly, and Ii mattered not 10
me how. bound as | was so that IL
came soon. For breath of silence my
soul went up TO the feet of God for
help and hope Then | bent my knees
and leaped. ! saw much as my body
went rushing through the air. an
empty grave, its heap OF earth be-
side il, an island of light, walled
with candles. in a sea of gloom,
faces showing dimly in the edge
of the darkness Thank God!
shall clear the bayonets," /
thought and struck heavily on soft
mat, covered over with green turf, q
little beyond that bristling bed.
staggered backward, falling upon it.
To my surprise, it bent beneath me.
They were no bayonets, but only shells
OF painted paper. | got to my feet
none the worse for jumping, and as
dumfounded as ever a man could be.
| stood on a lot of broken turf with
which a wide floor had been overlaid.
Boards and timbers were cut away, and
the grave dug beneath them. saw
Cne face among others in the gloom
beyond the candle rows-that of his
lordship. He was coming up little
fight of stairs to where | stood. lie
moved the candles, making a small
passage, and came up to me.
You're a brave man." said he, in
that low, careless tone of his.
And you a coward" was my an
swcr. for the sight of him had made
me burn with anger
Don't commit yourself on a point
like that said he, quickly, "for, you
know. we are not well acquainted. |
like your pluck. and offer you what
is given TO few here-an explanation
He paused, lighting a cigarette. |
stood locking at him. The cold po-
titeness of manner with which he had
taken my taunt. his perfect self-mas-
terry, filled me with wonder. He was
no callow youth. that man, whoever
he might be- lie was boring at the
floor with the end of a Timber cane
as he continued TO address me.
Now. look here, he went on, with
a little gesture of his left hand. be-
tween the fingers Of which a cigarette
was burning. You are now in the
temple OF a patriotic society acting with
90 letters patent. but in the good cause
Of his Most Excellent Majesty King
George ILL.,. to whom be health and
happiness"
As he spoke the name he raised his
hat. and a cheer came from all sides
of US.
"It is gathered this night" he con-
tinued. ito avenge the death OF LORD
ROnley, a friend of his Majesty, and Of
many here present. and an honorcd
member of this order. For his death
you. and you alone, are responsible.
and. we suspect, under circumstances
of no credit to your sword Many OF
our people have been cut of from