halloo; while, ever and anon, thunder crashed and lightning
flamed athwart the muddy road that wound steeply up betwixt
grassy banks topped by swaying trees. Broken twigs, whirling
down the wind, smote me in the dark, fallen branches reached out
arms that grappled me unseen, but I held on steadfastly, since
every stride carried me nearer to vengeance, that vengeance for
the which I prayed and lived. So with bared head lifted exulting
to the tempest and grasping the stout hedge-stake that served me
for staff, I climbed the long ascent of Pembury Hill.

Reaching the summit at last I must needs stay awhile to catch my
breath and shelter me as well as I might 'neath the weather bank,
for upon this eminence the rain lashed and the wind smote me with
a fury redoubled.

And now, as I stood amid that howling darkness, my back propped
by the bank, my face lifted to the tempest, I was aware of a
strange sound, very shrill and fitful, that reached me 'twixt the
booming wind-gusts, a sound that came and went, now loud and
clear, anon faint and remote, and I wondered what it might be.
Then the rushing dark was split asunder by a jagged lightning-
flash, and I saw. Stark against the glare rose black shaft and
crossbeam, wherefrom swung a creaking shape of rusty chains and
iron bands that held together something shrivelled and black and
wet with rain, a grisly thing that leapt on the buffeting wind,
that strove and jerked as it would fain break free and hurl
itself down upon me.

Now hearkening to the dismal creak of this chained thing, I fell
to meditation. This awful shape (thought I) had been a man once,