The Argosy, October 1906 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

. a = | PHE SCARLET SCARAB. -ment~ es thought what this black, wet horror of captivity must mean to her. The dark, the water, the ruffianly faces of the two bearers. - low-vaulted pool. My rage got the better, ‘of my good sense and I hurled a volley of hot Anglo-Saxon: wrath at the torch-car- rier, who waited mockingly across the Nor did I stop at that. Idiotically I leaped from the steps into the water— well above my knees—and with a clenched fist splashed my furious way toward him. Quick as I was, he was far quicker. For, though it was evident he had con- templated no such act on my part (for the Sicilian peasant can never realize how any one will voluntarily and wjth- out pay bring himself into contact with water), there was a sudden move, a hissing sound, and I was in total dark-— ness, knee- deep in water, with no general sense of direction and no knowledge of my enemy’s whereabouts. It was.as though I had been suddenly. stricken blind. The descent of darkness stopped my mad rush like a blow across the eyes, and I realized that at my leap from the ledge of steps the guide had simply thrust his torch into the water. He might still be standing tvhere I had left him; or he might have slipped into one of ‘the by-passages. In any case he knew the surroundings and I did not. The darkness seemed to crowd in on me from every side, pressing my eyeballs inward, suffocating my lungs like a thick pall of velvet. I could not go forward. Once past the low arch, I should be irretrievably lost in the tortuous windings of the tun- nel. What hope had I of catching the guide or of finding Doris Todd? I understood at once how easy it had been to spirit her away from me. Sev- eral times in the course of our progress we had come to sharp turnings where, for a moment ‘or two, those behind me were out of sight of the light my guide carried. _ _ What easier, at such a time, than for Doris’ bearers to slip to one side into a cross tunnel or alcove and let my guide carry me forward out of earshot? The _ acoustics of the place might readily, at a a little oo and around one -or two curves, shut off all sound. Yet I resolved now to test those same acoustics. I gathered all my breath and energy, and shouted, calling on the name of the girl to whom my carelessness had brought all this mischance. The room reechoed deafeningly to my shouts, and the sound returned to me, un-~ cannily distorted, fgom along the watery passage. But no reply, no note of a woman’s voice to tell me my call had been heard. “The signore is exhausting himself | needlessly,’’ came the slurring Sicilian accents of the guide from somewhere in ~ the dark—ahead of me, behind me, to right or to left—I could not tell which. ‘The signore may shout till his lungs burst,” went on the fellow, “but none will hear. Why not be wise? Three steps behind you, four at most, are the stairs you so foolishly quitted. Return — to them, I beg, for it is not well for foreigners to stand in this water. The Naples fever is insidious. ~Return to the steps and I will light the torch again. ‘There As much to be said, and time passes.” Instinctively I followed his’ direction. It was hopeless to attempt to locate him in the darkness. Experience had just shown me I could not reach Doris by shouting. The fellow held all the cards. I must let him play a few, if T- would ultimately escape, and if I hoped to save Doris. I groped my way back Faroaeh the chilly, dank wetness, and clambered on to the steps again, the water squashing in my shoes and running down from ay dripping legs. Oh, I was a pitiably foolish figure as I crawled up the stone stairs like a de- jected dog after somebody has pushed him overboard A match burned blue and flared up, its reflection striking the pool and outlining © the guide’ s unshaven face. The next mo- ment he had his torch alight and was again facing me, the width of the low- roofed chamber still between us. “Well,” I said crossly, “I suppose — this is a hold- “up?” “Does the signore take me for a com- ry ' ° i , Ay ‘ ify : 7 ey, aaa avy ny aS oe 4 ty. rat “hy a Aly sf Mee AY iV At Fh) 2 4 4 Petuh Oe f mat ‘ ' ie : Mrs io 4 2 ay Pyne ye ; R aT ' PY - L Pe LOR) fr WP aN PRINS 1 Ae a ABA > OA E {8 re. 7a 4 yA tee sa SS ns ' Aad S Ibe bet iy 4 £ Sve ! ty ye, Oy Fey yes i if j bA f + pet ATS LR © oi wee é mon fagliaborse (petty thief)?” he Te- — torted scornfully. Eomichboo a