Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10

nearly twelve feet thick, but 1t was the
most ruined of the four, and it was not
until he had spent nearly half an hour in
examining the lower portions, and in search
ing for signs of the secret passage which
he guessed must be there. that Eustace
thought of climbing to the top of the wall
Itself. Near the northeast angle, at almost
the highest point of the wall, he found the
opening 1t was a black hole in the masonry
and it was partly covered by heavy slab
OF stone. He pushed this on one side, and
saw that fight of ancient. foot-worn steps
led steepiy down in the thickness, not Of
this wall, but of the eastern one. They
looked dangerous. and Eustace hesitated;
but II Sims ghost had gone that way, prob
ably he could too.
He had his candles for the cave work in
his pocket. He lit one and went down.
He had no doubt but that the ghost was
either Harvey or Black and that the reason
for Its walking was that this was an en-
trance to the Holland Caves Possibly 1t
was the one which they used: possibly 1t
was no more than alternative entrance
which they feared that he would find. and
therefore had taken the precaution to
block. The cloak and the hood seemed rath-
er pointless, since, according to Marys &C.
count, the ghost had not walked for gem
Grafton. But then he remembered that Har-
vey was student of the drama; probably,
therefore he took delight in making his
stage properties appropriate even though
he must have expected, and hoped, to act
without an audience.
The steps went down long way Eustace
had not actually counted, but he had an
impression that he must have passed at
least sixty before he came to level going
again. When the steps ceased he found
himself In low tunnel in most places not
more than four feet high. He advanced al
most In crouching attitude, to avoid
knocking his head against chance pro-
lection. and slowly, because there might be
pitfalls.
The walls were of roughly hewn stone In
large biocks and unexpectedly dry to the
touch. A faint wind blew in his face, and
1t struck him that this, probably, accounted
for the dryness of the walls. Whatever its
ancient purpose might have been. the tun-
mel seemed now to act a sort of yentilat-
Ing shaft to some vastly larger chamber be-
low.
What could this chamber be but the Ho1-
land Caves themselves?
The tunnel was very long, and its height
was nowhere sufficient to enable him to
stand upright. He had already advanced
more than two hundred yards, and the
crouching position was becoming painful
He went down on his hands and knees. and
found some relief in merely crawling He
went another hundred yards thus and stilI
the faint breeze famed his face
Then he came to an obstruction. Great
blocks of stone barred his way and the roof
and sides OF the tunnel seemed to have
tumbled In bodily
But the obstruction could only be par
tial, for still the breeze crept through He
smiled 1t curiously for it seemed to him
that the scent of it was peculiar 1t was
sour and sickly, and ii seemed familiar:
but at first he could not fix its reminis-
cence.
Then he broke into short laugh.
II ever smelt a heap of rotting grain. |
smell 1t now!" he said to himself. And its