Part 10 (1/2)

Either the explorers had strayed froht path on their return, or the narrow orifice, broken in the rock by the dynamite, had been recently stopped up James Starr and his companions were prisoners in New Aberfoyle

CHAPTER IX THE FIRE-MAIDENS

A WEEK after the events just related had taken place, Jaineer had disappeared, and no reason could be brought forward to explain his absence They learnt, by questioning his servant, that he had embarked at Granton Pier But from that time there were no traces of James Starr Simon Ford's letter had requested secrecy, and he had said nothing of his departure for the Aberfoylewas talked of but the unaccountable absence of the engineer Sir W Elphiston, the President of the Royal Institution, coues a letter which Ja present at the nextof the society Two or three others produced sih these docuh--which was known before--they threw no light on what had becoed absence, so contrary to his usual habits, naturally first caused surprise, and then anxiety

A notice was inserted in the principal newspapers of the United Kingdo a description of hi reat anxiety The scientific world of England was inclined to believe that one of its uished members had positively disappeared At the sa about James Starr, Harry Ford was the subject of no less anxiety Only, instead of occupying public attention, the son of the old overenerally cheerful mind of Jack Ryan

It may be remembered that, in their encounter in the Yarrow shaft, Jack Ryan had invited Harry to come a week afterwards to the festivities at Irvine Harry had accepted and pro had it proved by many circumstances, that his friend was adone Now, at the Irvine , nor dance, nor fun of any sort--nothing but Harry Ford

The notice relative to James Starr, published in the papers, had not yet been seen by Ryan The honest felloas therefore only worried by Harry's absence, telling hi serious could alone have prevented hiao to the Dochart pit; and this he would have done had he not been detained by an accident which nearly cost hiht of the 12th of December was of a nature to support the opinions of all partisans of the supernatural, and there were many at Melrose Far nearly seven thousand inhabitants, lies in a sharp bend made by the Scottish coast, near the mouth of the Firth of Clyde The most ancient and the most famed ruins on this part of the coast were those of this castle of Robert Stuart, which bore the name of Dundonald Castle

At this period Dundonald Castle, a refuge for all the stray goblins of the country, was coh rock, two miles froers took it into their heads to explore these old historical remains, but then they alent alone The inhabitants of Irvine would not have taken theends were based on the story of certain ”fire-maidens,” who haunted the old castle

The most superstitious declared they had seen these fantastic creatures with their own eyes Jack Ryan was naturally one of the flames appeared, sometimes on a broken piece of wall, sohest point of Dundonald Castle

Did these flames really assume a human shape, as was asserted? Did they iven them by the people of the coast?

It was evidently just an optical delusion, aided by a good deal of credulity, and science could easily have explained the phenoht be, these fire- the ruins of the old castle and there perforhts Jack Ryan, bold fellow though he ould never have dared to accopipes

”Old Nick is enough for them!” said he ”He doesn't need me to complete his infernal orchestra”

We e apparitions frequently furnished a text for the evening stories Jack Ryan was ending the evening with one of these His auditors, transported into the phantom world, orked up into a state of

All at once shouts were heard outside Jack Ryan stopped short in the ht was pitchy dark Squalls of wind and rain swept along the beach Two or three fisherainst a rock, the better to resist the wind, were shouting at the top of their voices

Jack Ryan and his companions ran up to them The shouts were, however, not for the inhabitants of the far to destruction A dark, confused mass appeared some way out at sea It was a vessel whose position could be seen by her lights, for she carried a white one on her forereen on the starboard side, and a red on the outside She was evidently running straight on the rocks

”A shi+p in distress?” said Ryan

”Ay,” answered one of the fishermen, ”and now they want to tack, but it's too late!”

”Do they want to run ashore?” said another

”It seems so,” responded one of the fishermen, ”unless he has been misled by some--”

The man was interrupted by a yell from Jack Could the crew have heard it? At any rate, it was too late for theleaht be supposed, a last effort of Ryan's to warn the doomed shi+p He now had his back to the sea His coazed at a spot situated about half aflaale, on the summit of the old tower