Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

602 “Truth? What do you know about that, old crone? Did the devil tell ye, or that scare-crow fool of yours—”’ For a moment, during the wind’s lull, she could be heard. -Raising both arms, she cried out to the throng at the top of her shrill lungs: “This way, this way, all, and see God’s . miracle that he has showed the boy! Lead on, Freddy; show us what you found. We'll follow.” Shambling and gesticulating, the half-wit turned. The crowd opened to let him pass. Without once looking back, he started off rapidly, leading the way up from the beach toward the high rolling fields that framed the town. Beside him, as close as she could keep, hurried the old woman, with Starling breathless and superstitiously half fearful at her side. Spreading out into a long scattered train, the crowd followed. Eastrup’s wife had slipped her hand in his, and no one pre- vented her from walking at his side. They were close up to the leaders. “What is it, Larry?” she whispered to him. ‘‘ What has he found?” “JT don’t know,” he murmured. “ Every- thing was as usual, except—’”’ Up ahead a commotion had arisen. Far in the lead, Fred McGann, after once reach- ing the height of land, had turned abruptly to the left, toward the cliffs and sea. | Right ahead the black spear-head of Spinkle’s Chimney towered five hundred feet. As Eastrup spoke, the boy had reached the verge and paused for the pro- cession te catch up. A ring formed about him. Gabbling and chattering, he stood on the brink, beckoning to the men and pointing upward. “God’s life, what does he mean?” gasped. Starling. ‘ No mortal man—” Eastrup pushed forward. _ “ There’s something out there he wants you to see,” he said. ‘If you'll let me go I'll show the way. It’s safe enough.” ‘““ Not me!” cried Starling. ‘‘ None but the devil’s own—” Up ahead the boy had already started the ascent. Behing him LUsstrup followed a short distance, paused, looked back, and beckoned. | they’d fill the troll in half an hour. THE ARGOSY. ‘“ There’s no danger,” he shouted, “ if you keep close.” ‘““ God!” rasped the big farmer over Star- ling’s head. ‘‘ No man c’n stand ’n’ say I was afeared t’ foller him! Come on, you lynchers, or else own up you’re coward dogs and leave him go!” With a run he caught up to Eastrup. Others followed, including Starling, to the number, of about twenty. Among them were Eastrup’s wife and the old woman. The path they clambered up the huge rock was partly natural, partly constructed of hewn steps. Like a line of ants the long procession crept up and around the corner to the edge where was the entrance to the cave, The boy was nowhere to be seen when one by one the witnesses began to arrive. Expressions of amazement burst from the lips of each as he mounted the last step and stood inside. §tarling was the fourth to come. ‘“‘ The boy and I have been coming out here for a long time,” Eastrup explained. ‘“T used to read to him and tell him stories.” ‘What ’r’ them?” It was the lanterns and oil-cans that the gesture pointed out. “ My lights. When I fished nights I used to put a lantern in the opening there so as to get my bearing for the cove. That was the way I used to get ahead of you. By accident I found a place half a mile dead off where at night no matter what the tide, Last night—”’ ‘Trolls, eh? That-was why—” ‘You never saw my nets. I didn’t have any. We used to bait the hooks here and trim the lights.” 6¢ Well—” From the rear, where he had stood in the dark, out of sight, Fred McGann appeared. Pointing at the row of lanterns, he beckoned to Eastrup, making excited, throaty sounds. ““ What?” cried several. ‘‘ What does he want?” ‘““Qne’s gone!” exclaimed FEastrup. ‘“* Used to be six. Now only five.” The boy had gone to the edge of the cove and was pointing down. “It fell out!” ‘“ Didn’t ye miss the light?” COnniclooo (C(C)