A Silver Brand — page 198: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

190° A SILVER BRAND. dripping with moisture and garlanded with damp vines of trailing moss. All one mass of solid rock looked the dreary walls to Stena’s watchful, scrutinizing eyes. But Robinson knew better; he pushed on steadily to a jutting column curiosly shaped by long beating waves into a re- semblance to some stately cathedral pillar. Here he fumbled a moment ata great iron ring hidden under the water, and in answer to some secret lever it Swung away and revealed a narrow aperture, just wide enough to ad- mit the boat. The pillar returned to its socket, and the flickering torch played weirdly over the close, frowning wall and the shallow pool, as the boat was drawn up toa pair of stone steps at the foot of a door, set, it would seem, in a bank of earth. It required some little force to compel the rusty hinges to yield obedience to his touch, but Robinson succeeded in opening the door, and when it was done he returned, and holding out his hand, said, gayly : “Come, fair Lina, let me escost you to your castle.” Wretched Lina, how her bright anticipations rose up to mock her! She did not stir an inch. “T beg your pardon, ladies. Those pretty lips have had cruel treatment, sure enough. Let me take out the gag, and hear your pleasant voices. Iam not afraid of your screams now. You might fire a cannon here and no sound betray to the upper world what had happened. As he spoke he removed the odious impediments. They were both faint and giddy, the throat parched, the tongue dry and swollen, and for a little time neither could speak. It was Serena who first addressed the triumphant villain. - “Sir,” said she, coldly, but with dignity, ‘‘will you ex- plain to us the meaning of this high-handed act? You must know surely that the laws will punish you severely if you are detected, and do you think our friends will be idle and passive under our loss ?” He snapped his finger idly. ‘So much for your friends, my dear. Do you think we didn’t count the cost, and make preparations? Who will find the way here, do you think? And this is only half of my castle. Itis only at low tide that it is possible to get into the Witch’s Cave. _ Only with our permission can one get at allinto the Devil’s Hut, and that’s where we are bound, my beauties.” “Cruel, wicked man!” burst forth the impetuous Lina. “If man cannot come God will deliver us,” said Serena, solemnly, : , €O comicbooks im