The Maid of the Mountain — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

%8 THE MAID OF ‘THE MOUNTAIN. He followed the chief into the passage.” The former held ® % torch and led’ the way. They turnedto the right and threaded the @epths of the eavern for Some didtiince, and at. last came to a large, vaulted room, a dark, unhealthy, dismal place, where the heavy moisture dripped from the walls, and wv fetid vapor was exhaled fron‘all around. In the catiter of this black place’ was a dark pit, running down, nobody knew how far, from which a steani was rising contlintially. Whliat- ever it might be, whether vapor from a_ boiling spring, or from some other eause,'tio ohe ‘kiiew. Upon the brink of this the chief pansed, and lifted his'toreh. high ep. _ “Come here,” he said. © a YHibiqate Yo oa, . " “Tvken see it where I “stand,” suid Josh, with great pitihapi itude. “I don’t believe T want to come any nigher.” ~ The look which the chief gave him compelled him to turn his reluctant cd nelifer'W to “the “edge: of the” pit, and ‘ook down. - You see tis place,” eatthe éhief, “and can understand why 80 many have disappeared'in these he a ca and never leftasign. This black pit has been the grave of many a man before your time, and shall he yout¥ ‘to-morrow if you choose to be obstinate. | I hope you will not. Tt will “be better for you'to be careful what ‘you'do and say.” _ ‘He led the bewildered Yankee back to’ the room of andi- enée, and gave him to the’¢are of two guards, who returned him to his prison. ‘The chief himself turned back into the audience-chamber, and passing through a side-crrtain—for cloth took. tlie place of wood fi all the’ doors Of tlié'eavern— he entered a room furnished ‘with great taste, “4 nga, = use! The Seen ie first s . the ‘in the council-hall, rose” “couch | wiih she had been‘lying, and spoke to "him. “He took ped and showed a face in keeping with his ch fe ; relentles3 as fiite itself—a handsome face, too, withal, 20 “Js it over?’ she said. Ons : - “ Yes,” he answered. “The a re “Did those men look on?”- ‘” You mean the prisoners? Yes.” ; ~ “What do you mean to do with them?” ~~ “You know our laws. Those of the Meat wnt teint *_ eConmMicloooks.com