terror, to his infinite relief he heard the spectre utter a feeble
cry of fear. To find that hell had also its little weaknesses was
encouraging. He redoubled his exorcisms, and presently he saw the
ghastly shape kneeling at Margaret's knees, and heard it praying
piteously for mercy.


Kate and Giles soon reached the haunted tower. Judge their surprise when
they found a new rope dangling from the prisoner's window to the ground.

"I see how it is," said the inferior intelligence, taking facts as they
came. "Our Gerard has come down this rope. He has got clear. Up I go,
and see."

"No, Giles, no!" said the superior intelligence, blinded by prejudice.
"See you not this is glamour? This rope is a line the evil one casts out
to wile thee to destruction. He knows the weaknesses of all our hearts;
he has seen how fond you are of going up things. Where should our Gerard
procure a rope? how fasten it in the sky like this? It is not in nature.
Holy saints protect us this night, for hell is abroad."

"Stuff!" said the dwarf; "the way to hell is down, and this rope leads
up. I never had the luck to go up such a long rope. It may be years ere
I fall in with such a long rope all ready for me. As well be knocked on
the head at once as never know happiness."

And he sprung on to the rope with a cry of delight, as a cat jumps with
a mew on to a table where fish is. All the gymnast was on fire; and the
only concession Kate could gain from him was permission to fasten the
lantern on his neck first.