The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1905-07-22
The SorCerer !.
Of St. Giles
By PROF. WILLIAM HI. PECK.

was also very slow, that shall have
to kill this fellow. God pardon the
deed, but he must never quit this place
alive! I must decoy him little far
Their, to where one of the side passages
crosses this. shall have room to act
there, if he does not chance to turn
off into the same passage. In that
case, our struggle must take place in
one of the small caves. If he does not
continue to follow me, and retreats, I
must attack him in this passage"
Clarence sighed and continued to re-
treat, crawling backward, with his
head toward Bashfort.
Bashfort was of too reckless a ma
ture to halt in any enterprise he had
resolved upon. He did not imagine
that the passage penetrated very far
into the cliff, and he felt very sure of
being able to capture his desired prize.
He heard Clarence sigh, and attrib-
uting the sound to Helen, continued
to progress inward upon his hands and
knees
"a villainously black hole!" he NUT
tered IF I only had torch now!
But I can go as far as she can. and we
must soon fetch up somewhere. Helen,
my own love-" he added aloud; "dar
ling, l am your own dear Clarence,
and it's very foolish in you to keep re-
treating"
'Are you my Clarence?" asked a
faint whisper, at some distance in adj
vance of the ruffian.
'Eh? Of course am, my dear
Helen!" said Bashfort, making his
harsh voice as soft as he could. wait
there!"
But the one in advance continued to
retreat.
Course this passage 'growled Bash
fort, where shall We fetch up. Helen,
my sweet. my precious!"
"Come to my cave, my palace, dear
Clarence! 1t is not far off, said
whisper from the black darkness.
ooh, you have a cave-a palace
eh? l come, my queen of love!" re-
piled the deceived man, moving on.
"Oh,' he added to himself, shall take
my pay for all this trouble from her
lips-I will! Why not? AS handsome
a lass as ever l saw! Delirious, too,
and thinking I am her favored lover!
Oh, shall take a thousand Kisses
from those rich. red lips. 'Sflames! l
can see them now! Rich, red and
pouting! And she thinks am her
Clarence!"
Clarence, having arrived at the first
of the side passages, entered it and
turned about, while Bashfort was
about fifteen feet distant, but coming
on as fast as he could, and just here
obliged to crawl, the passage where
he was being not more than two feet
high, though yard in width.
Would he crawl on past the side pas
sage, or discover it and turn into it,
thinking it the only way in which to
advance?
This doubt disturbed Clarence much,
though he knew it was only by chance
that he himself had discovered this
side passage the preceding day.
He filliped small piece of rock
from his thumb, so that the fragment
fell gathering beyond the entrance OF
the side passage where he lurked.
II hear her." muttered Bashfort, de-
ceived by the sound, and crawling on,
guided by that noise.
"Clarence! Is it you, dear Clar-
ence?" now called out in tremnlous
tones, Helen Beauclair herself-for
the strength of the poor girl had car
-ried her but a few feet farther than
where the little pebble thrown by
Clarence had fallen.
eyes, my sweet one! It is your own
dear Clarence!" replied Bashfort, more
hoarsely than he intended, for his
eagerness near choked him. wait
there, my darling!'
"Oh!" screamed Helen, recognizing
the voice. at is horrible Bashfort!
He has killed my Clarence!"
Fear nothing my love!" called out
/ Bashfort, at this instant just passing
the entrances, right and left, of the
passage which crossed at right angles
that along which he was crawling.
Courage, Helen!" pealed the voice
of Clarence Darrell. as clear as the
blare of a battle bugle sounding
charge. Courage, Helen!'
And as he spoke he sprang upon the
back of the crawling ruffian and seized
the villains neck and throat with both
hands.
Clarence could have slain Bashfort
instantly with his dagger, but he had a
scheme in view the success of which
demanded that no dagger wound
should be found upon the corpse of
Neil Bashfort.
Terror and dismay held Bashfort
rigid and contracted in every muscle
for a moment, and that moment was
fatal to him, for it enabled Clarence
to gain such a commanding hold upon
the ruffian's neck that Bashfort was
! half strangled before he began to re.
sist.
Then began a terrible struggle amid
that black darkness.
Helen, not far away and unable to
see. but hearing the dreadful scramble