Page:The Mystery of Madeline Le Blanc (1900).djvu/68

68 his digging. "Ugh! my thoughts," he muttered, half aloud, picking up the hand, but in his grasp there was nothing save earth. All around, those long dead turned in their graves; the later ones arose, sat on their tombs, and moved about; but none spoke or smiled. Some came and watched the digging from sockets that had no eyes, their bones rattling with every step. A few only had withered hearts, the resthad none. A mourning sound now issued from their lips and tongueless mouths. Satiani stopped, looked about, and the dead shrank back. He descended into the grave, and continued to dig. Presently he struck the box, which he pulled partially out of the hole, and, breaking off a board, felt the folds of a shroud. "Oh, oh, oh!" echoed the dead, coming in swarms. He laid the motionless form on the ground, and filled up the grave. Covered with a cold perspiration, and trembling in physical exhaustion, he bore his burden down the valley, across to the stone house, where at the entrance to the court he was met by the dwarfish person.

"Monsieur."