Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-08
CHAPTER VIII.
The Holland Caves.


There are two separate and distinct leg
ends Of the Holland Caves. and Mary Hol-
land was an authority on both. One Of
| them Is comparatively modern. and wholly
unromantic; the other is romantic, but too
vague to cause any real thrill OF horror or
| pity In the nearer. 1t Is of young monk
| who loved secretly a maiden of the fisher
| folk
In those days, It is said, a secret passage
| led underground from the abbey buildings
| to the great cavern and thence through u
| mile of darkness to the seashore. The
| monk learned Of this passage and with
| guilty purpose used 1t nightly. But one
| night he entered 1t and did not return; and
| from that night, by the abbots command,
| his name was never again spoken by his
| brothers Of the abbey.
| lis that alp said Eustace. when Mary
| had told him what she knew. Its very
| feeble. Isn't there even ghost?
| "Oh, yes ghost is sometimes seen In
| the ruined refectory: but no one knows
whether 1t belongs to the young monk or
| not
| perhaps it's the abbot's," said Eustace
| cheerfully. Let's hope 1t Is. He prooaoly
| murdered the young man, so he deserves
| to be uneasy Who has seen the ghost!
| Have your
l o.
| any one in this generation who has I'm
| afraid It's only traditional ghost
| Thoroughly unsatisfactory! You shoulo
| not have raised my hopes II that aIi you
have to tell I never heard of such an IN
| efficient bogeyl Hasn't it even frightened q
housemaid into Mysteries? Come. you owe
| me the housemaid at least!' it,
"I am truthful" said Mary, Laughing, 50
| I must deny even the housemald
What a scandalously disappointing leg
| end,' declared Eustace, in tone or mock
| Indignation Il hope the modern one is
The modern one," said Mary, is
| smuggling yarn. .,x ~.
| They were picking their way through me
| boulders the seashore which suarueo
the main entrance to the caverns "hen
1 this conversation took place. Eustace was
| carrying a basket Of provisions. for they
meant to give the whole day to their au.
venture; and he had long coll OF me pu.
| strong rope wound about his body Tor tne
| Holland Caves had never been Thoroughly
explored, and the going might prove 70 De
| difficult. Both carried strong IRON
| walking sticks, and candles ana matches,
and Eustace had in addition bicycie lanp
threaded through the belt of his Norfolk
A. these words from Mary he stopped,
and sat down on boulder. .oa with
"A smuggling yarn! he repeated, WIZ a,
| a oI,ick glance at the girl. Now that is
| curious. 1 wonder If Harvey knows OF II;
| "Why, of course he does! Every one IN
the family KNOWS OF H. I1dINcy oiiN 49,
| often talked about it, and speculated Wne'h-
! er the secret passage still exists or not;
| "IIh?" said Eustace sharply. you dldn
| tell me that last night. So Harvey specu-
| lates about the secret passage! w ia' oosS
| he think about it?'
"Oh, he thinks that the whole story is
| myth-just much myth as 'he oliiei
! one about the monk
whereas you believe in both!
"Of course l do! They are one OF my
net hobbies said Mary.
Have you ever suggested to Harvey that
he should join you in exploring the caves 10
settle the point?'
you did! What did he say?'
He went straight to mother and got her
IN forbid me to do anything of the sort
He made out that it would be highly oah-
gerous.'
Eustace smiled. -
Eyes, SO it would" he said; But you
and l wonder today whether that was ms
real reason. We think 1t wasnt [. so we ar e
going to brave the danger together, ana
find out. Now tell me the smuggling
yarn -, $1,000
to him with one of her grave looks, say
Ing sIo will hear you tell it."
Sir Eustace did not hesitate; quick
thought flashed across his mind that the
girl was testing him-was In fact. seeking
Tor proof that he, too, knew what she hao
Just said that every one in the famliy knew
He began at once: s. 49,,
dav when the amorous monk disappeared
forever in the caves, there was a certain
laird of the family OF Holland
"Date and name?" demanded Mary
"Date-about a hundred and fifty years
aeo Nsme-Archibald Holland" said Eus-
tace. What? Wrong?" he asked, for
Mary had shaken her head
1.-The laird was Eustace, your naInesake,
Archibald Hollands son." she said. and II
was not more than a hundred and twenty
years ago. Go on"
my namesake was hard up; and when
he discovered the secret passage he used
II in the way which would naturally occur
to an acute and business-like member OF
our family He started an extensive I'M
port business in Spanish laces ana frelicn
brandies, and inexcusably forgot TO pay
the duties on those articles.
And the end?" asked Mary, for Eustace
had stopped. You're very hating enron
icler Of the family history
He laughed and stole a glance at her:
Her ewes were fixed on his face with what
seemed to him an expression OF grave ques-
tioning.
said. You see, 1 haven't heard the tale
since was a boy. You must tell II. what
was the end?"
He died" said Mary.
Naturally, Even members or our ram
1y do that! II that's all. l might nave
made a shot at the ending myself
And his secret died with him. the girl
went on. -,
"Ah. that's better! Why?'
Because he had never let any one snare
II. He meant to hand it down as legacy
to his son; but his son, our great-grand-
father. was boy Of six when his father
died He had not been told the secret
Eustace was silent for moment. Ihen
he got I'D with a laugh, which to the girl
ears sounded curiously forced. saying:
$50 If Cousin Harvey knows 1t. and is
using 1t on what we may call the Ola
method brought up to date. he has reds
covered It for himself! Another proof that
Cousin Harvey Is a much cleverer man
than a casual acquaintance would take him
to be! The proofs of that fact are accu-
mulating rapidly. l am beginning to nave
a very wholesome respect for Cousin Har-
yey. Shall we go on and begin our cave
huhting?"
Mary got up at once and led the way.
There was a natural reason for her going
first because she knew the best path
through the tangle of rocks to the caves
mouth; and she was glad of this, because
thereby her companion was prevented from
searching her face with those keen glances
OF his She had never had any practice in
the art Of discrimination and she feared he
would read her face like a book. And just