Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/244

MY LADY OF THE SOUTH no doubt as to her doing so if opportunity came, and she was not one to yield weakly and make no effort. I began questioning my judgment in not leaving O'Brien on guard in the hall, or, at least ordering one of the troopers below to the second floor during our exploration. I came to a halt, this new conception of danger in full possession of my mind, purposing to despatch him back, and go on alone, when the fellow suddenly gripped my arm, advancing the black barrel of his carbine until it pointed straight down the tunnel.

"Be all the saints, sor," he whispered hoarsely, "ain't that the body of a man?"

It assuredly was, or else my eyes deceived me. It was lying head toward us against the side wall, with limbs extended half across the passage. The face was turned away, a wide-brimmed soft hat, still on the head, helping to render the entire shadow shapeless. The light barely revealed the outlines, yet, as I held the lantern higher, there could be no doubt as to its being the figure of a human being. Neither of us spoke, but I could feel the grip of the boy's fingers, and hear his quick breathing. It was an uncanny thing to meet with in that place, and my own heart throbbed, every thought of the possible peril above banished as I fronted this new discovery. Who could it be? How came the body there? Two hours before, Donald had passed through this tunnel on his way into the house, and had found the path unobstructed. An hour later he had gone out again. The first trip had been made without a light, and yet he never could have passed that body without touching it. Could [ 230 ]