Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-04-06
HE SOrCerer
Of St. Giles
By PROF. WILLIAM HI. PECK.

face of Clarence Darrell, as he crouch
ed amid the shadows and intricacies of
the ruins, in which he had sought tenn
porary conceament Immediately after
his flight into the corridor from that
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 in 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.
II am near enough to hear what
they say" thought Clarence, "and so
nay chance to discover where l am.
@crtainly that savage in Scotch plaid
aid something about Zeno Sosia. In
deed, he seemed to believe Zeno Sosia
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.'
so" thought Clarence, as he glided
from the room in which he had first
sought refuge, and fastened to find
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 ne? Capt Osred! So the name
of the man whom l struck in the face
in London when he tried to pull off
Helen's hood in the street. But why
their desire to capture Sosia? l must
hide and learn more"
He succeeded in hiding himself
of the ruined roof. in a room next to
that which contained the dangerous
well 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
- ;ol,
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! can escape from the place
by means of the old stairway that
hangs from the window. Dogs! Zeno
Sosia will BATTLE your pursuit."
The the indistinct form vanished
from Clarence's view, going, he had
no doubt, into the adjoining room.
80" 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 l? All, a 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 well
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 great hole
in the center of the flooring, black and
yawning, with the ragged edges of rot
ten planks. which appeared to have
been jus. crushed in, as great splin-
ters, dark and moldy, hung down into
the gaping darkness below, swinging
TWO and fro as from a recent shock.
Help! In the name Of God, help!"
rose the cries from the depth below,
now much fainter than before, and
with these cries sound as If some
one were splashing in the water.