blood curdled in my veins! A shrill cry, piercing, prolonged, and
melancholy, echoed through the hollow arches of my tomb. A cold
perspiration broke out all over my body--my heart beat so loudly
that I could hear it thumping against my ribs. Again--again--that
weird shriek, followed by a whir and flap of wings. I breathed
again.

"It is an owl," I said to myself, ashamed of my fears; "a poor
innocent bird--a companion and watcher of the dead, and therefore
its voice is full of sorrowful lamentation--but it is harmless," and
I crept on with increased caution. Suddenly out of the dense
darkness there stared two large yellow eyes, glittering with
fiendish hunger and cruelty. For a moment I was startled, and
stepped back; the creature flew at me with the ferocity of a tiger-
cat! I fought with the horrible thing in all directions; it wheeled
round my head, it pounced toward my face, it beat me with its large
wings--wings that I could feel but not see; the yellow eyes alone
shone in the thick gloom like the eyes of some vindictive demon! I
struck at it right and left--the revolting combat lasted some
moments--I grew sick and dizzy, yet I battled on recklessly. At
last, thank Heaven! the huge owl was vanquished; it fluttered
backward and downward, apparently exhausted, giving one wild screech
of baffled fury, as its lamp-like eyes disappeared in the darkness.
Breathless, but not subdued--every nerve in my body quivering with
excitement--I pursued my way, as I thought, toward the stone
staircase. feeling the air with my outstretched hands as I groped
along. In a little while I met with an obstruction--it was hard and
cold--a stone wall, surely? I felt it up and down and found a hollow
in it--was this the first step of the stair? I wondered; it seemed
very high. I touched it cautiously--suddenly I came in contact with