The Cook County herald., 1905-07-01
CHAPTER xlli.-(Continued).


A skull grinned hideously from vi
sarless helmlet on this sad heap of out
ragged mortality.
ooh, great heaven!" cried Helen, as
her eyes took in those revolving shapes.
"Must we hide in this fearful placer"
Courage! patience!'' said the clear
and encouraging voice of her lover, as
he supported her shuddering form
with his left arm. "We are not to re-
main here"
'Thank God!" said Helen, heartily.
I'VE are now many feet below the
level of your late prison, dear Helen.
1t will lead us to cavern of some
size, and from that cavern leads pas
sage through the solid rock to small
ledge that juts from the face of Dun
Aengus cliff, and overlooks the sea
hundred feet below. Come, fear
nothing. Follow me. Very often we
must go upon our hands and knees"
Helen followed Clarence into the
passage, silently praying Heaven to
soon rescue her lover and herself from
their many perils.
On arriving in the cavern of which
Clarence had spoken, Helen found that,
though not so large in area as the
dungeon, it was much more lofty in it's
space from the floor to the roof, of
solid rock, both dry and clean, with
fresh and invigorating smell of sea air
about it.
"Were it day and the sun shining"
remarked Clarence, holding the lamp
aloft, you could clearly distinguish
even small objects about you. You see
those dark-looking fissures in the wall
and roof on this, side? Well, though
they are long crevices too narrow for
you to pass through them, they let in
daylight broadly in the daytime. There
is, doubtless, vast scoop in the face
of the cliff, or an immense fissure,
which permits the light to enter here.
Yet, to reach the face of the cliff, we
must enter this small passage, and fol-
lowing on our hands and knees it's
windings till it leads to small cave
which opens upon the narrow and
short jutting ledge of rock of which
spoke"
"And how found you this wonderful
place, dear Clarence?"
"By accident-by climbing the face
of the cliff, yesterday, ignorant then
that my boat had been wrecked among
the rocks at the base of Dun Aengus
cliff. But will tell you of that an
other time. You are not afraid to re-
main here alone for an hour
"Ah!" cried Helen, in alarm.
"Perhaps not so long-but must re-
visit the building above. See-1
brought two lamps, so that you need
not be in the dark"
"But why go back, dear Clarence?"
"Ah, We may have to remain here
for several days, and though swept
into the basket all the food that was
on the tray in your room, there is not
enough to serve even you for one
hearty meal. After those above shall
discover that you have escaped, it will
not be so easy for me to do that which
I can readily do now"
"Dear Clarence, I yield to your guild
hearted girl. *'But oh, be very care
full"
"Shall l not, when I remember your
peril if aught befall me-" replied Clar.
ence.
And warmly embracing her, he took
lost to her sight.
He made haste to ascend to the old
closet room, and he was soon in the
old dwelling again-for the iron door
of the dungeon was no longer an obsta-
Gle to his progress; though when he
first entered that dungeon on the pre-
ceding day that door had delayed his
ascent from the sea-
Noiseless of foot and wary of eye
and ear, he first made sure that Bash
fort still slept, and then that the Os.
reds were still asleep.
He found all three in profound slum-
ber
He then found large basket or
hamper in the kitchen, and this he
filed with provisions and bottles of
"AAC duO UOLl16S VI wafer. ne also
placed in the basket a large flask of
oil for his lamp, and several candles
which he found among the ample
stores provided by Bashfort.
Peering down through the cobweb
festoons, the sorcerer, with sneer of
exultation on mis- thin lips, watched in
ghoul-like silence and grimness the
movements of Helen's lover.
"Ha! play with him as a cat plays
with a mouse!" thought Sosia. His
heart is under my claws! I can rend
and tear it when wish. No Osred, no
De Lavet shall wed that beautiful girl,
who to me looks so much as Rache.
Allenstone used to look! No! 1 will
make her my wife!-mine- So
sia's! Oh! first intended this man
Wilfred Osred should wed her, that
your heart might be torn, broken, lac
erated!" he mentally added. as he
glared hatefully at the young man be-
low. "But now think it will be
sweeter vengeance to make your dar-
Z III H.