walls might whisper some answer to his thoughts. The
silence offered no suggestions. The plaintive figure of the tortured
Christ suspended on the cross maintained an immovable watch over all
things, and there was a subtle, faint odor floating about as of crushed
spices or herbs. While he still stood there absorbed in perplexed
conjectures, he became oppressed by want of air. The red hue of the
poppy-wreath mingled with the softer glow of the lamp on the altar,--the
moist glitter of the shells and polished pebbles, seemed to dazzle and
confuse his eyes. He felt dizzy and faint--and hastily made his way out
of that close death-chamber into the passage, where he leaned for a few
minutes against the great central column to recover himself. A brisk
breath of wind from the Fjord came careering through the gallery, and
blew coldly upon his forehead. Refreshed by it, he rapidly overcame the
sensation of giddiness, and began to retrace his steps through the
winding arches, thinking with some satisfaction as he went, what a
romantic incident he would have to relate to Lorimer and his other
friends, when a sudden glare of light illumined the passage, and he was
brought to an abrupt standstill by the sound of a wild "Halloo!" The
light vanished; it reappeared. It vanished again, and again appeared,
flinging a strong flare upon the shell-worked walls as it approached.
Again the fierce "Halloo!" resounded through the hollow cavities of the
subterranean temple, and he remained motionless, waiting for an
explanation of this unlooked-for turn to the events of the morning.

He had plenty of physical courage, and the idea of any addition to his
adventure rather pleased him than otherwise. Still, with all his
bravery, he recoiled a little when he first caught sight of the
extraordinary being that emerged from the darkness--a wild, distorted
figure that ran towards him with its head downwards, bearing aloft in
one skinny hand a smoking pine-torch, from which the sparks flew like so
many fireflies. This uncanny personage, wearing the semblance of man,
came within two paces of Errington before perceiving him; then, stopping
short in his headlong career, the creature flourished his torch and
uttered a defiant yell.

Philip surveyed him coolly and without alarm, though so weird an object
might well have aroused a pardonable distrust, and even timidity. He saw
a misshapen dwarf, not quite four feet high, with large, ungainly limbs
out of all pr