CHAPTER X.
When there were none of the pirates in the cave, it was the custom of Lightfoot, and Hellena to spread their couch in the body of the cavern, and there pass the night. Such was the case on the night following the day on which Lightfoot had related to Hellena the sad history of her people.
It is hardly to be expected that the young girl's sleep would be very sound that night, with her imagination filled with visions, hob goblins of every form, size, and color.
During the most of the forepart of the night she lay awake thinking over the strange things she had heard concerning the cave, and expecting every moment to see some horrible monster make its appearance in the shape of an enormous Indian in his war paint, and his hands reeking with blood.
After a while she fell into a doze in which she had a horrid dream, where all the things she had been thinking of appeared and took form, but assuming shapes ten times more horrible than any her waking imagination could possibly have created.
It was past midnight. She had started from one of these horrid dreams, and afraid to go to sleep again, lay quietly gazing around the cavern on the ever varying reflections cast by the myriads of crystals that glittered upon the wall and ceiling.
Although there were in some portions of the cavern walls chinks or crevices which let in air, and during some portion of the day a few straggling sunbeams, it was found necessary even during the day to keep a lamp constantly burning. And the one standing on the table in the centre of the cave was never allowed to go out.
As we have said, Hellena lay awake gazing about her.
A perfect stillness reigned in the cave, broken only by the rather heavy breathing of the Indian woman who slept soundly.
Suddenly she heard, or thought she heard a slight grating noise at the further side of the cavern.