Tales of Terror and Mystery
The New Catacomb
Letustryitagain!"Hestoopedtothelantern,andinaninstantitwasasifaninvisiblehandwassqueezedtightlyovereachofKennedy’seyes.Neverhadheknownwhatsuchdarknesswas.Itseemedtopressuponhimandtosmotherhim.Itwasasolidobstacleagainstwhichthebodyshrankfromadvancing.Heputhishandsouttopushitbackfromhim.
"Thatwilldo,Burger,"saidhe,"let’shavethelightagain."
Buthiscompanionbegantolaugh,andinthatcircularroomthesoundseemedtocomefromeverysideatonce.
"Youseemuneasy,friendKennedy,"saidhe.
"Goon,man,lightthecandle!"saidKennedyimpatiently.
"It’sverystrange,Kennedy,butIcouldnotintheleasttellbythesoundinwhichdirectionyoustand.CouldyoutellwhereIam?"
"No;youseemtobeoneverysideofme."
"IfitwerenotforthisstringwhichIholdinmyhandIshouldnothaveanotionwhichwaytogo."
"Idaresaynot.Strikealight,man,andhaveanendofthisnonsense."
"Well,Kennedy,therearetwothingswhichIunderstandthatyouareveryfondof.Theoneisanadventure,andtheotherisanobstacletosurmount.Theadventuremustbethefindingofyourwayoutofthiscatacomb.Theobstaclewillbethedarknessandthetwothousandwrongturnswhichmakethewayalittledifficulttofind.Butyouneednothurry,foryouhaveplentyoftime,andwhenyouhaltforarestnowandthen,IshouldlikeyoujusttothinkofMissMarySaunderson,andwhetheryoutreatedherquitefairly."
"Youdevil,whatdoyoumean?"roaredKennedy.
