Year: 1873

I


"Weeks went by. Whenever


Mr.. Marlton and / were alone to-
gether, it always seemed to me as
if / could feel a third presence,
and often an indefinable sense of
evil seemed hanging over me.


81 was detained at the school
house one afternoon until dusk,
making out my monthly report
The task was over at last, and /
started on my way home. / was
obliged to pass woody section Of
country, but l knew it to be a qui-
ct neighborhood and therefore felt
no fear. l was thinking of Mrs.
Irving and Mr.. Marlton, and won-
dering if they had returned from
the neighboring town, when sud-
denly dark form seemed to loom
up before me. l felt myself clasp
ed up in pair of strong arms and
borne swiftly away into the. deep
wood. Fear made me dumb for a
moment, then a covering was plac-
ed over my mouth my wrists were
clasped by vice-like grip, but still
my captor hurried on. I knew
that l was being carried deeper and
deeper into an almost impenetrable
woodland. l felt my breath COM
ing fainter and fainter, until at
length l was unconscious of every
thing around me. l was aroused
by a violent shake, and on opening
my eyes saw the huge form of
Major Grey bending over me. His
eyes cleaned with an exultant fire,
and he said, with fiendish laugh
See! your boudoir! l glanced
around me, and saw that | was in
sort of cave. 1t looked as if it
had been of natures forming, but
l could see that the work of man
had been used. There was q rustic
chair made Of green boughs, a
couch of the same rude construc-
ton, and on this was placed a small
mattress and blankets.


"'You don't even thank me- he
! us..N. ".s.I -" -s-s.o... -


know that have made q carpet Of


moss for your delicate feet!
would not have taken so much pains
for you, dolly face, but / knew they
liked you, and l remembered what
was due to my guest


"Why have you brought me
here / faltered!


"'Oh, you are innocent! Don't /
know you want to take my Arthurs
heart to pieces inch by inch, as she
did mine, and then cast him off ?
But you won't for I'll keep you here
until you are dead. You women
like to get us enmeshed. See what
l have made for your and he threw
over my head rope network that
bound me hand and foot. How
pretty you look in your cage! +!
There, will lay you on your
couch And he arranged the
blankets and took me in his detest-
ed arms once more and laid me
down. TIow pretty you look {? he
said, leaning over me; Il would
kiss you good night, but l don't
kiss women,' and with shrill laugh
he withdrew, taking the light with
him.


"All that night l lay helplessly
thinking of my hopeless fate. l
felt something cold and Shiny creep
over my face, and l knew it must
be something like a lizard. Then
came a slow, wavy motion over the
ropes, that chilled me with horror,
for l knew it was a snake. | gave
one shrill scream, and tried to fling
myself from the counch. The rep
tile was probably frightened, for l
heard something fall to the earth.
A chillness like death stole over me,
the blood in my veins seemed to be
turned to ice. Hours Of agony
went by. Ages, to me, rolled away,
and then l saw gray streak at the
opening of my prison, and l knew
it was day. / knew that l should
not be missed from school as it was
and l thought, with
feeling of horror, that Mrs. Irving
might imagine ] had gone home in
her absence to town. Gradually /
made out some of the features of
my prison-house. / knew that /
was underground, for l could see
that steps had been cut in the rock,
that led from the opening above.
Wild vines dropped down into the
apperature, but not a ray of sun
light penetrated the gloomy place.