Part 21 (1/2)

Sybil could not answer. Indeed, though she heard the voice, she scarcely comprehended the question.

”What! you won't speak to me, eh? Well, that's natural too, but precious hard, seeing as I risked my life to save your'n; and mean you so well into the bargain,” continued the ruffian, as he strode onward to a place where several horses were tied.

He selected the strongest of the group, mounted and lifted the helpless form of the lady into a seat before him, and set off at full speed, clattering through the rugged mountain pa.s.s with a recklessness of life and limb, that at another time would have frightened his companion half out of her senses.

But now, in her despair of life, there was even a hope in this mad career--the hope of a sudden death.

But the gigantic ruffian knew himself, his horse, and his road, and so he carried his victim through that fearful pa.s.s in perfect safety.

They reached a deep, narrow, secluded valley, in the midst of which stood an old red sandstone house, closely surrounded by trees, and only dimly to be seen in the clouded night sky.

Here the robber rider slackened his pace.

The deep silence that prevailed, the thick growth of leafless weeds and briars through which their horse had to wade, all showed that this house had been long uninhabited and the grounds long uncultivated.

Yet there was some one on guard; for when Moloch rode up to the door and dismounted, and holding Sybil tightly clasped in his left arm, rapped three times three, with his right hand, the door was cautiously opened by a decrepit old man, who held a lighted taper in his withered fingers.

”Ho, Pluto! who is here?” inquired Moloch, striding into the hall, and bearing Sybil in his arms.

”No one, sir, but the girls and the woman; and they have just come,”

answered the old man.

”No one but the girls and the woman! and they have just come! And no fire made, and no supper ready? And this h--ll of an old house colder and damper than the cavern! Won't the captain be leaping mad, that's all! Come, bestir yourself, bestir yourself, and make a fire first of all. This lady is as cold as death! Where is Iska?”

”In this room, sir,” answered the old man, pus.h.i.+ng open an old worm-eaten door that admitted them into a large old-fas.h.i.+oned oak-pannelled parlor, with a wide fireplace and a high corner cupboard, but without other furniture.

On the hearth knelt Gentiliska, trying to coax a little smouldering fire of green wood into a blaze.

”What the d----l is the use of puffing away at that? You'd just as well try to set fire to a wet sponge,” impatiently exclaimed Moloch.

And he went to one of the windows, wrenched off a dry mouldering shutter, broke it to pieces with his bare hand, and piled it in among the green logs. Then from his pocket he took a flask of whiskey, poured a portion of it on the weak, red embers, and in an instant had the whole ma.s.s of fuel in a roaring blaze.

Meanwhile Sybil, unable to stand, had sunk down upon the floor, where she remained only until Gentiliska saw her by the blaze of the fire.

”You are as cold as ice!” said the kind-hearted girl taking Sybil's hands in her own, and trying to warm them. ”Come to the fire,” she continued, a.s.sisting the lady to rise, and drawing her towards the chimney. ”Sit here,” she added, arranging her own red cloak as a seat.

”Thanks,” murmured Sybil. ”Thanks--you are very good to me.”

”Moloch, she is nearly dead! Have you got any wine? If you have, give it to me!” was the next request of the girl.

The giant lumbered off to a heap of miscellaneous luggage that lay in one corner, and from it he rooted out a black bottle, which he brought and put in the hands of the girl, saying:

”There! ha, ha, ha! there's some of her own old port! We made a raid upon Black Hall b.u.t.tery last night, on purpose to provide for her.”

”All right. Now a tin saucepan, and some sugar and spice, old Moloch!

and also, if possible, a cup or tumbler,” said Gentiliska.

The giant went back to the pile in the corner, and after a little search brought forth all the articles required by the girl.

”Now, good Moloch, go and do for old Hecate what you have done for me.