Tales of Terror and Mystery
The New Catacomb
Hewasrunningaboutinlittlecirclesandclaspingatthesolidblacknesswithbothhands.
"Good-bye,"saidthemockingvoice,anditwasalreadyatsomedistance."Ireallydonotthink,Kennedy,evenbyyourownshowingthatyoudidtherightthingbythatgirl.Therewasonlyonelittlethingwhichyouappearednottoknow,andIcansupplyit.MissSaundersonwasengagedtoapoorungainlydevilofastudent,andhisnamewasJuliusBurger."
Therewasarustlesomewhere,thevaguesoundofafootstrikingastone,andthentherefellsilenceuponthatoldChristianchurch—astagnant,heavysilencewhichclosedroundKennedyandshuthiminlikewaterroundadrowningman.
SometwomonthsafterwardsthefollowingparagraphmadetheroundoftheEuropeanPress:
"OneofthemostinterestingdiscoveriesofrecentyearsisthatofthenewcatacombinRome,whichliessomedistancetotheeastofthewell-knownvaultsofSt.Calixtus.Thefindingofthisimportantburial-place,whichisexceedingrichinmostinterestingearlyChristianremains,isduetotheenergyandsagacityofDr.JuliusBurger,theyoungGermanspecialist,whoisrapidlytakingthefirstplaceasanauthorityuponancientRome.Althoughthefirsttopublishhisdiscovery,itappearsthatalessfortunateadventurerhadanticipatedDr.Burger.SomemonthsagoMr.Kennedy,thewell-knownEnglishstudent,disappearedsuddenlyfromhisroomsintheCorso,anditwasconjecturedthathisassociationwitharecentscandalhaddrivenhimtoleaveRome
