The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1905-05-06
The SorCerer
Of St. Giles
By PROF. WILLIAM HI. PECK.

| they scarcely would have seen the
face Of Clarence Darrell, as he crouch
ed amid tho shadows and intricacies of
the ruins. in which he bad sought tenn
porary concealment Immediately after
bis fight into the corridor from that
room in which he had encountered
BashfOrt
Clarence, on darting into the dark
corridor. had heard the approaching
footsteps Of the Osreds, as the latter
were hurrying to answer Bashfort's
cry for help, and darted blindly on in
"a direction opposite to that whence
they were coming, and had soon
crouched down ina room not far from
the one he had just quilted, unable to
determine what route to take, and be-
lieving that those who were coming
would rush at once to the aid of their
comrade.
IT am near enough to hear what
they say" thought Clarence, land so
may chance to discover where I am.
Certainly that savage in Scotch plaid
said something about Zeno Sosia. In
was in the closet"
Thus Clarence was able to hear al
most all that was said by the Osreds
and Bashfort before they resumed
their search for the sorcerer, and so
discovered that he was at Dun Aen-
gus-a fact he had not suspected until
he heard Capt. Osred say:
"There are no such things as spirits
at Dun Aengus."
$50" thought Clarence, as he glided
from the room in which he had first
sought refuge, and fastened to find a
more secure place of concealment, and
not waiting until the searchers came
forth again into the corridor-"so am
at Dun Aengus! The very place de-
sired to reach last night. feared the
storm had cast me ashore on the Irish
coast below Hays Head. Lord Genlis
Who is he? Capt. Osred! So the name
of the man whom I struck in the face
Helen's hood in the street. But why
their desire to capture Sosia? I must
hide, and learn more"
He succeeded in hiding himself
among the broken rafters and timbers
of the ruined roof. in a room next to
that which contained the dangerous
we'll shaft, and much of the wall be-
tween the two rooms was broken down
or had fallen from age and dampness.
Clarence had scarcely gained his
last place of concealment when he
heard rapid footsteps upon the floor
of the very room above which he was
concealed. He could see nothing dis
tinctly, though little of the outer
light penetrated the broken roof, the
rising moon beaming upon it from an
unclouded sky. He was able to dis
tinguish only dark form moving
rapidly about for brief time, as if the
soul that animated it was undecided
what to do, and then loud whisper,
as if one were speaking guardedly in a
soliloquy:
"Ha! I can escape from the place
by means of the old stairway that
hangs from the window. Dogs! Zeno'
Sosia will BATTLE your pursuit.
from Clarence's view, going, he had
no doubt, into the adjoining room.
49, thought Clarence that was
Zeno Sosia-Ha! what noise was that?
A crashing of rotten timbers! In the
next room? Let me think; in what
part of the old Dun Aengus mansion
am I? Ahsa cry for help!"
And it was at this moment that the
dismal screech for help, as from a
great depth, was heard by Bashfort
and the Osreds.
Clarence, lying close in his conceal.
ment, heard the rush of the quickly
approaching footsteps, and soon saw
the nearing light shed by the three
torches.
His blood grew chilly with horror
as he heard the shrill and continuous
screams for help from the we'll.
"The sorcerer must perish!" he
thought, unless speedy aid reach
him. remember the we'll now. Three
years ago the flooring was dangerous.
1t is well for me that did not seek
concealment in that room"
The Osreds and Bashfort passed the
doorless doorway of that room in
which Clarence was hidden, and en-
tered the one which adjoined it. and
which could scarcely be truly said to
be separated from it, so much DESTROY
ed was the wall whose relics alone now
divided them.
The room Of the well-shaft was larg-
er than the one in which Clarence
crouched, and the light of the torches
of Bashfort and the two Osreds ena-
bled Clarence to see clearly the faces
and forms of the three, and much of
the interior of the room. =
He saw that there was a great hole
in the center of the flooring, black and
yawning, with the ragged edges of rot
ten planks, which appeared to have
been just crushed in, as great splin-
tiers, dark and moldy, hung down into
the gaping darkness below, swinging
two and fro as from recent shock.
"Help! in the name of God, help!"
roco tho. c,;oo from tho dop+h holo,-,