Presbyterian College - Pac Sac Yearbook (Clinton, SC)

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THE COLLEGIAN. I3 out again, not to die as all before him had done. His whole being tingled with life and activity. He was at last awake, fully awake to the present situation. He had traveled all over the world to get waked up, and when back home, at his very door, he found the greatest call to his daring spirit he could ever wish. Inside the First gate all was alive with excitement, men were hurrying here and there with loads of stuff, the booty of some poor ships, and putting it away. They were storing the bags of wheat and all such spoils in great barns that were now filled while all valuables, such as bags of gold, silver and jewels, were taken to a vault in the castle. The underground floor of the castle was all used for dun- geons and it was here, with a number of other unfortunate prisoners, that the crew of the Ranlion was placed. ,lacks cell was a very dark, damp place with no window at all and no noticeable break in the stone wall, when viewed with a careless eye and by the light of a tiny candle. Here Jack stayed for three weeks without seing any one, except the boy who brought his meals. Things seemed rather gloomy and he was getting rather low spirited when one day he made a discovery. He had examined the wall several times, but not very closely, and today he de- cided to test them with his penknife again and see if by chance there should be some loose stone that would in some way aid him in his pull for the outer world. In the very back corner he found a loose pebble. He pulled it out and to his surprise there was a hollow space behind it. He quickly pulled away another and saw the cavity growing considerably larger. Hope sprang up in his breast and gave him strength to go on with greater zest, for here was a way to change the monotony of these four square walls, and perhaps-dared he hope so-a way to get out. He tugged away for an hour and then he had cleared an opening some three feet high and two feet wide in the back of his cell. He took his candle and trembling very much stepped, or rather crawled through the opening and then found himself in a long, dark passage. lt was high enough for

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I2 THE COLLEGIAN. vessel so that in thirty minutes a flag of surrender went up. The crew of the Ranlion thought that being prisoners in the hands of that most dreaded pirate band could not be worse than the fiery or watery grave that they saw opening to them. So they surrendered and'were taken from their burning ship to that of the brigands. Jack saw that at last he had found adventureg yes, and ex- citement, plenty of it. The leader of the band was a hard man with a stern dark look, sharp cutting black eyes, and a harsh voice that could al- ways be heard above everything else storming commands to his sailors. 'lack went in line with the other prisoners to the lower deck, where they were left chained together until they should get to the port of the pirate's den. He had often heard of the deeds of this dreaded pirate band. The cruel things they did were spoken of in awed tones by all. A person was never known to escape when so unlucky as to fall into the hands of such a captor. After a three days' sail south the vessel came to port at a little island, which was unknown to any of the crew of the Ran- lion. It was unknown to the world and was held by the pirate band as their den. lt was scarcely more than a mile square. In the centre, surrounded by trees and much undergrowth, was a castle, dark, grey and very forbidding in its appearance. It was surrounded by a high wall with a huge iron gate in front, which was well barred and locked and was guarded by a very fierce looking soldier. Inside of this wall was a clear compound of some size and then one came to the door of the castle itself. This was barred almost as securely as the gate and guarded well. As the prisoners were led up from the ship these great gates were opened to admit them, and it was with the greatest fear that they would never see the outside world again that they saw these barriers close behind them. Jack went with the prisoners, and it was with the greatest minuteness that he took in every detail along the way. He was going in there to come

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I4 THE COLLEGJAN. him to stand erect, and was some three feet in width. The air was very close and musty. He could distinguish nothing very plainly, but holding his candle above his head he proceeded down this passage. He stumbled over something and when he examined it he found it to be a skull. This sent a chill to his heart, but he went on. For the first ten feet he found no more obstacles, but then he came to a halt. The subway passage divided, one way lefl to a little door not three feet in front of him, while the other seemed quite long and the end of it could not be seen. After a moments thought he decided to try the door, but there seemed no way of opening it. No knob or spring was in sight. He tried for some moments. but all in vain, and was turning away, when he happened to step on a loose board, and quick as a flash the door fell back from its place. The sight that met jacks eyes will be with him the rest of his life. There was a large square apartment the walls of which were painted in panels, all of the same uniform order, the secret door forming one of these panels. In the centre of the room was a table laden with books, flowers, and music. Rich carpets were on the floor. Handsome pictures hung over the panelled wall. Comfortable chairs were about the room, and in one corner was a piano: while lying near was a guitar and a mandolin. The richest of lace drapery was everywhere. Tlut the most impressive thing was a girl lying on a couch in another corner of the room. She was asleep. Jack stood for a moment dazed. He had never seen such a beautiful picture before. He hadn't likezl girls much. They were thought to be only a bunch of laces and ribbons and nonsense. But he did not feel that way toward this creature whom he had so mysteriously stumbled upon. She wore a simple gown of white and no jewels whatever. Her only decoration was a lily in one hand while her head. was pillowed on the other arm. Her dark hair was caught at the back of her head with a large bow of ribbon and then fell in a long curl over the crimson pillow. A few locks had strayed over her forehead. Her del- icate ankle was barely visible below the hem of her dress. As