The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

A MONTH IN THE MOON, 99 waiting for something to happen. He ordered the lights to be extinguished at an early hour, and made a pretense of retiring ; but, returning almost directly by the other entrance to the circular passage, he posted himself where he could watch without being observed. Virgil soon found that the guard also were watching in the dark, which decided him to wait until the reason for this extraordinary behavior should become clear. 7 The moon had just sunk below the horizon when Chaka and his men left the barracks, one by one, and proceeded on tiptoe towards the prison. ‘They were evidently trying to make as little noise as possible, but that they were very excited was plain from the stifled exclamations that escaped them in the course of the very voluble conversation that was carried on in whispers. It was a dark night, and Virgil could not well see what was happening ; but on a sudden a bright light from one of the windows of Kaddour’s lodging shone out on the guard grouped in front. The warriors, brave as they were before the enemy, seemed all stricken with terror, and clung close to each other, not daring to move backwards or forwards. In the opening of the window stood a white wooden table, unevenly made, and devoid of cover or any ornament whatsoever. A brass dish was on the table, and it contained a bleeding human head, which all the warriors recog- nized for that of Suliman, the son of Zebehr !—of Suliman, who had been dead for three years! The head lifted itself off the dish, opened its eyes, and looked about ! All at once the lips of the dead man moved. Were they about to speak? They did speak, and with the identical guttural drawl that had characterized the son of Zebehr. ‘“T made you suffer,’’ said the voice; ‘‘nowI suffer! Listen to me, sons - of the Lake! Listen to me, if you would escape the torments that I endure in the cavern of death ! You must embrace the cause of the Prophet! You must obey the orders he gives you through his faithful servant Kaddour ! You must cease to serve the unbelievers, and you must unite with your black brethren against the Europeans! Unless you massacre the white men you will see them triumphant throughout the desert, and they will drink your blood! ‘Take heed to my words, sons of the Lake, for I have spoken thus to you to buy my own pardon !”’ The light then went out and the vision disappeared. But the guard were still further terrified by a long sigh—a heart rending sob—that seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth. Surprise and horror kept them for some time motionless, and when at length they dared to move, all withdrew in silence to their barracks. Virgil thought rightly that there was not a moment tolose. Lighting his lantern, that he had before purposely extinguished lest they should see him, he ran to the door of the prison, unlocked it, and surprised Kaddour in the act of taking off his masquerading costume and its accompanying shams. Plaster, scratched off the wall, had given a deathlike look to his features ; he had opened a small vein in his arm to tinge the linen with blood; the dressing table out of Peter Gryphins’ room had furnished the round hole con- >) Eomicbooks S|