San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-10

things to say before his entrance,
found himself wordless. And also
he had business elsewhere, bust
ness that should lift the witch
thrall from his friend. Business
of great moment and gravity
And invested, likewise, with the
piercing interest that attaches 10
a boys first experiment in the
flaying of living cat or the bait,
ing of a manned fox. He found
himself at the threshold, paused,
nearly spoke, retreated with
abruptness, drew the door to and
locked it. He was as much IN a
sweat as though the Devil, in the
form of a named lion, had sprung
out and roared at him.
Gervais came to his feet as the
key turned. From the middle
downward he was benumbed. A
prickling of returning blood as
sailed his limbs. He steadied him
self for an instant with his hand
against the wall, then, with a
movement that was between a
lunge and a lurch, he was at the
door. STOPPING, with his ear
against it, he listened. Muffled,
the sound of steps that dwindled as
they withdrew came to him. He
knew that the gallery was empty.
He Strengthened, and, like an ami
NAL in a cage, paced round the
room a couple of times. He must
wait until Hugh was beyond
hearing. There might be others,
but that could not be helped. Moth
ing should hold him, nothing could
stay him now. His mind was clear,
but an intense heat dwelt in it.
1t seemed to him that not only was
he strong, he was strength itself.
How, then, could they halt him?
He caught up the massive chair
in which he had been bound pris-
oner, swung. it, and crashed it
against the oaken barrier. There
was thunderous splintering
sound. Again. Again. Then, aban-
doning the battered chair, he
drove headlong at the door with
his shoulder. Torn clean from
lock and hinges, it fell outward
into the gallery, filling the hollow
place with noise. Two men of
good weight and muscle, armed
with pixies, could only with diff
Guilty have accomplished such
thing. But Gervais loved.
He had pitched forward with the
door, and now picked himself up,
dazed barely for a moment. No
time was to lost, though Hugh had
said Not yet" Empty-handed,
his doublet ripped from shoulder
to swordless sword-belt as though
by a dogs teeth, he started down
the gallery. Behind him there
were footsteps and a cry.
Down a steep spiral stair, vague
lit by arrow-slits, through a rush.
strewn hall, naked and monastic,
whose open hearth was bed OF
cold ashes, and so out into a
cobbled court and the strange
light of a lowering day. There
was pursuit behind, but not liv-
ing soul in front, not even a cur.
All had gone to watch the witch
burning, dogs as well as people.
Only a tame raven with a clipped
wing half hoped, half fluttered
out of the way, uttering a raucous
croak. An i'll omen? No! there
were neither good nor evil omens
when one was as resistless as a
bolt from a cross-bow.
Gervais ran like a greyhound.
The hunt was up. His quarry was
q girl abandoned and he himself
was the quarry of those who came
at his heels, but he disregarded
them as a spurred horse ignores
the yelp of mongrels. Sidonia
. thoughts streamed through
his mind that were formless as
water or flowing blood. He drew
swift. steady breath through wild
ened nostrils, and his lips were
implacable-set like a swords
mans He neither hoped nor
feared; ne ran.
The town seemed purged of its
inhabitants; even the cobblestones
would have left their places to see
the WITHDRAWING if they could
have dislodged themselves. Yet
there was a murmurous crowd
sound close at hand-the market
square and a smell of smoke and
of pitch.