Cruel as the graveSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
Cruel as the grave
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
American fiction -- 19th century
"The false rumor is as rife as false rumors usually are. Every one
reports with confidence, and every one else believes with assurance,
that you are both in Annapolis, and will certainly be found by the
officers within a few days. This is good, as it will lead off all
pursuit from your road to Norfolk."
Lyon Berners nodded in reply. And Sybil came up to make some
preparations for supper.
"Well, Mrs. Berners," spoke the Captain, gayly, "any more supernatural
phenomena?"
"Oh, I wish you had not asked that question!" exclaimed Lyon Berners,
while Sybil grew deadly pale, and shivered from head to foot.
"Why, what's the matter now?" demanded the Captain, lifting his eyebrows
in surprise.
"Oh, the damp girl!" exclaimed Sybil, shuddering.
"The damp girl!" echoed the Captain, in growing wonder.
Lyon Berners shrugged his shoulders, while Sybil, in agitated tones,
recounted her strange visitation of the night before.
"As clearly defined a case of incubus as ever I heard in my life," was
the prompt decision of Captain Pendleton.
Sybil grew angry.
"I only wish," she sharply answered, "that you would once experience the
like, for then you could know that it could not be nightmare."
"Then, my dear Mrs. Berners, if this was not incubus, what do you
suppose it to have been?"
"A _real_ visitation; but whether a natural or supernatural one, of
course I can not tell," she answered.
Sybil got the supper ready, and they all sat down to partake of that
meal together, for the last time in the Haunted Chapel.
After supper the final preparations for their departure were made.
Sybil felt all the reluctance of a beauty to part with her splendid
black hair. But on trying the experiment, she found that she could
effectually conceal it, without cutting it off. She combed it straight
back from her forehead, and let it hang down her shoulders under her
sack. Then she covered her head and neck with the flowing red locks of
Harold's wig.
Lyon cut close his auburn hair, shaved off his moustache, and donned a
gray wig and a gray beard, without the slightest remorse.
A very few minutes sufficed to complete their disguise, and they stood
forth--Lyon and Sybil transformed into a gray old farmer and a
shock-headed country girl.
"And now, about these housekeeping articles that we must leave here?
They are of very little value in themselves; but they _may_ be found,
and if so, may lead to our discovery," suggested Mr. Berners, uneasily.
"Never you mind _them_, Master. I'll ondertake to get them away,
onbeknowst to any body, sar," promised Joe.
"And I will see that this is done," added Captain Pendleton in a low
voice, for he did not wish to wound poor Joe's sensitive self-love.
"And now, my dear Sybil, are you sure you have got all that you need in
your bag?" inquired Mr. Berners.
"All that I shall need until we get to Norfolk, Lyon. There, indeed, we
must get a supply of necessary clothing," she answered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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