Evening star., 1908-01-12
CHAPTER TX.
The Yelled Witch.

/ 4nc vc1lSQ WHICH.
Outside the witch's tent all was silent
and deserted. Darkness had gradually
crept In, and with it--as far as the resi-
Of the fair was CONGRATULATIONS
noise fand exuberant gaiety.
Huge torches of gum and resin fiickered
at the entrance of every booth. throwing
quaint red lights. and deep. mysterious
shadows all round, distorting the faces
of tlle gaping multitude, and of the criers
until they looked like fantastic figures
wizards all from some neighborins
Broken.
Whether the world-famous necrom.
ancer Mirrab and her attendant gen
were lacking in business or no, no one
could say. for there was no torch outside
their tent. and Abra had ceased to lure
the passerby. The open place in front OF
the platform was dark and still.
| Suddenly from over the shadows some
thing seemed to move forward. whilst a
mysterious: Hist! nIst!'' came echoing
from more than one direction.
Gradually the sound became more dis
tinct, dark figures emerged from every
side. and presently compact group OF
| moving, whispering people congregated
some few yards away from the booth.
Then voice, still low and muffled. but
firm and emphatic. detached itself from
the ghostlike murmur around.
my masters, I call upon you to wit
ness. The Scriptures say: Let no witch
live.' Shall we disobey the Scriptures
and allow that witch to live? She is pos
sessed and the devil dwells in that
/ booth"
this peroration. The speaker raised his
/ voice somewhat.
: "Will you allow Satan to remain among
you?"
/ No. no! no." came in excited accents
from the little crowd.
And I say death to the witch!' added
| the leading voice sOlemnly.
Death to the witch!" came in weird
echoes from all around.
Then there was silence. The dark
heads bent closer together.
| What wilt thou do, Matthew
whispered one voice with awed timidity.
| Let her burn, say" replied the learn
ed village oracle, "tis the only way of
getting rid of Satan.
| 1t had been a hot day. The heads of
this pack Of country folk had been over
/ heated with sack and spiced ale, an un-
reasoning. maniacal terror. with super
stition for its basis, had completed the
work of completely adding their loutish
brains. All day there had been talk of
| and weird monsters which she was re-
puted to conjure up at will. Thoughts of
| poisoned wells. of sweating sickness, of
| hell-fire ragged through these poor, mis-
4 guided fellows minds.
/ What did they know of charlatanism or
/ trickery? To them it was all reaL living,
awesome. terrible. The devil was per-
SON with glowing eyes, two horns and a
! forked tail, who caused innocent people
| to fall fiat on their backs and foam at
| the mouth.
Every malady then unknown to science
/ was ascribed to hellish agency. And here,
within few yards, was an unearthly
4 creature who actually consorted with the
creator Of all evil, who wilfully brought
| him UP from his burning abode below the
/ earth, and let him loose upon this peace
| full village and its Godfearing inhabi-
| tants.
Nay! burn her. burn her." they
shouted. brandishing their sticks. em-
boldened through their very cowardice
| into deeds they would otherwise never
| have contemplated without shudder
| And they shouted In order to keep up
their exaltation and their excitement; the
devil is known to favor whisperings.
After me, my masters. continued
Matthew, who was still the leader Of this
| insane band of mischievous fools, after
| me. Remember there's salvation for our
| sins IL we burn the WITCH"
| With another wild shout, the little
crowd made rush for the platform Of
| the booth, just as Abra and his hench-
| man. attracted by the strangeness of the
noise. came out of the tent to see what
| might be amiss.
| Before they had time to utter sound
of protest, the two men were seized by
1 the crowd and dragged down the steps
| with violence. The people had no time
/ to trouble about lout such as he. They
wanted the witch herself. now. at once,
while their blood was up and boiling, and
1.-The guard might come round at any mo-
ment and Illustrate them in their will.
| Out Of the way. lout. out OF the way!
| or thou'it burn alongside of thy damned
witchs''
Abra had fallen on. his knees, under
standing only too well the danger which
Fwas Threatening him. He had known
all along what TERRIBLE risks he was TAX
ing. Twas not well in these days to
tamper with the supernatural But he
had trusted to the good temper Of holiday
makers. while the certain patronage Of
rich burghers and court gallants had
proved an overwhelming temptation to
his greed of gain. For the wench he
cared but little. He had picked her out
slut. and had used her as tool-a
willing one enough-for his own pecuniary
ends.
Even now with cursing throng Of
maniacs round L.m he only thought of his
own safety. Mean. abject, and cowardly,
he fell upon his knees.
"Merciful heavens. my masters, he
| pleaded.
But the crowd was not in humor to
listen. The men kicked him on one side
and he fell up against his miserable COM
panton, who was too terror-stricken to
move.
| Then there was another rush up to the
platform, without thought or pause, for
these would have been fatal to the reso-
| lutte purpose In view. and might give the
| devil time to look after his own.
From within the tent there came now a
| frantic shrek OF terror. The next mo-
rnent the foremost among the crowd had
| pushed aside the gaudy draperies, and
| that one shrek was answered by a dozen
awesome, Mortified curses
! There was the witch at last moor
trembling girl scarce out of her teens
with beautiful. delicate features and an
abundance OF golden hair falling round
her shoulders; her mysterious veil bit of
| shdwy ttnsel-lying in a heap on the floor
Nothing supernatural or devilish about
, ner, surely; Quaint. perhaps because of
that singular beauty Of face and skin
which seemed so ill-assortfd with the
| sordidness of her surroundings. One Of
Natures curious freaks. this kitchen
wencl with head which would have
graced duchess. her interesting person
aEty merely the prey of a common char
iatan who used her for vulgar, senseless
| trickefy.
| For the moment her beauty was dis
torted through the dawning OF an awful
| terror. To sane man she would only
nave seemed q wretched, miserable,
| sodden. overheated minds of these excited
creatures, blinded by an almost maniacaI
! fear.
TO them she looked suoernaturally tall.
| supernaturany weird, with great glowing
eyes and tongues Of flame illuminine her
| person.
THE witch" they shouted, "the witch,
| the witch!'