ld gun, although the piece was
uncharged with ball. So I conceive that physical courage is not so
high a virtue after all, and am not greatly ashamed to acknowledge I
went timidly forward down that black slope, and with a wild inclination
to fly backward at every sound. Nor do I boast of keeping on, for it
was largely because I knew well what reception would await me; the look
of scorn with which Madame would discover that a faint heart had made
me afraid of the dark. So it was love, or pride, I scarce know which,
that kept my reluctant feet moving; and, possibly, both of these are
the true sponsors for most of the courage in the world, except that
engendered by excitement.

Finally, when, with many a quaking of the heart I thought there must be
above me a full hundred feet of earth, I perceived a flickering ray of
light stealing along the floor. It grew more pronounced with each
advancing step and soon crimsoned the upper walls. I dropped
cautiously upon hands and knees, and crept slowly forward, beside the
dancing shadows, taking concealment behind every irregularity. Thus
approaching, I discovered the flaring beacon to be a huge pine knot
stuck into the earth wall, blazing right merrily. Lying at full
length, with head outstretched from behind the tree trunk that
concealed my body, I gazed forward into a small room, possibly a dozen
feet in width, the walls concealed by grotesquely pictured bark, its
floor covered with a rude matting, dyed in fanciful colors. Somewhat
to the left of where I lay uprose a huge, grim figure, roughly shapen
from wood, having two uplifted wings pressing the roof, while directly
in front reposed numerous dishes of untasted food. This idol, for such
I conceived it to be, was a most hideous, repulsive object, colored
lavishly with strange pigments, the face and head decorated in crimson,
while the huge right hand, grasping a club, was uplifted as if about to
strike down an approaching enemy. The flaring light of the pine knot
glittered on great staring eyes which appeared to sparkle as if
composed of precious stones; while about neck, zone, and ankles shone
the duller gleam of gold, with the shimmer of some brighter metal.

It was a grewsome sight to approach in such a place, especially as the
peculiar eyes appeared to follow my slightest movement. Yet only for a
breathless moment did I experience doubt as to its nature, then laughed
grimly at myself for a superstitious fool. Th