pierce the black gloom. More than once a sound
as of stealthy, ghostly scrapings caused his heart to beat like a
hammer; and he seemed to see the horrible eyes of the monster flaming
luridly out of the darkness; but still the silent hours went by,
unbroken by any disturbance.

Ha! The gloom of the hollow was lightening--and soon the rim of the
great moon peeped over the cliff behind him. But his attention was
rivetted now upon something before him--a something, huge and black and
shadowy--which moved. The horror was coming over the ridge.

It came,--running stealthily a few yards,--then halting,--then running
again. It passed the body of its last victim, and came running on.
Laurence stood transfixed, spellbound, with loathing and repulsion, as
he gazed upon the huge hairy legs, listening to the scraping patter of
the claw-armed extremities. But he had no doubt now as to its
intentions; it was coming straight for him.

It stopped--within a bare forty yards, and now as for the first time, he
got a clear view of it in the bright moonlight, Laurence felt his heart
fail him for the very hideousness of the beast. It had the head of a
devil, the body and legs of a spider, and the black hairy coat of a
bear; and, indeed, it was nearly as large as a fair-sized specimen of
the latter. No, it was no ordinary thing, this fearsome monster.

It advanced a little nearer,--stopped again,--then rushed straight at
him.

Laurence stepped aside just in time to avoid the open jaws, but too late
entirely to escape the great flail-like tentacle, which swept him from
his feet, right under the horror, pinioning for a moment his arms. Then,
by a tremendous effort, he threw himself partly upwards. The horrible
nippers descended--but missing his throat--descended to his chest, and
met there, with a metallic, crunching sound.

Yet he was unharmed. Even in that unspeakably awful moment--crushed in
the wreathings of the huge tentacles--the frightful head and devilish
eyes of the vampire within two feet of his own--he realized what had
happened. Instead of penetrating his body, the nippers of the monster
had struck upon the metal box. The thought nerved him. Wrenching his arm
partly free beneath the horror, he sought a joint in the horny armour,
and drove the bone dagger into its body--drove it into the very butt.

Throwing up its head convulsively, the fearful creature began to spin
round and round, and its would-be victim realized somewhat