Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/117

Rh With these words the Friar left the hall, and going to his own room returned with a small jar full of a black powder — as they saw when he opened it, took out a little, and then carefully replaced the parchment covering that was tied tightly over it. The Friar then brought from a shelf an earthenware dish, spread a little of the black powder upon it, and going to the fireplace lighted a dry twig. He asked Edgar and the old soldier to stand well away from the table, and then touched the glowing end of the twig to the powder.

Instantly there was a brilliant flash of flame, the powder was consumed, and a great ring of smoke went upward and was lost amid the high rafters.

"In the name of St. George!" exclaimed Hugh, "what devil's work is this? Do you make lightning?"

"No devil's work is it," said the Friar, smiling to see their amazement, "but simply the discovery of the alchemists, I am told. I learned the secret from a wandering brother I met in Spain, who had been near the confines of Cathay, and had been shown this wonderful powder by an Eastern priest, a strange man who wore his hair in one long tail down his back, all the rest of his head being shaved smooth. But you do not know yet