had come over the sun; and the bank of black cloud had risen
very high, and its edges were tossing and tumbling like the waves of
the angry sea and they cast long shadows which flickered over
Schwartz's path.

Then Schwartz climbed for another hour, and again his thirst returned;
and as he lifted his flask to his lips he thought he saw his brother
Hans lying exhausted on the path before him, and as he gazed the figure
stretched its arms to him and cried for water. "Ha, ha!" laughed
Schwartz, "are you there? Remember the prison bars, my boy. Water,
indeed! do you suppose I carried it all the way up here for you?" And
he strode over the figure; yet, as he passed, he thought he saw a
strange expression of mockery about its lips. And when he had gone a
few yards farther, he looked back; but the figure was not there.

And a sudden horror came over Schwartz, he knew not why; but the thirst
for gold prevailed over his fear, and he rushed on. And the bank of
black cloud rose to the zenith, and out of it came bursts of spiry
lightning, and waves of darkness seemed to heave and float, between
their flashes, over the whole heavens. And the sky where the sun was
setting was all level and like a lake of blood; and a strong wind came
out of that sky, tearing its crimson clouds into fragments and
scattering them far into the darkness. And when Schwartz stood by the
brink of the Golden River, its waves were black like thunder clouds,
but their foam was like fire; and the roar of the waters below and the
thunder above met as he cast the flask into the stream. And as he did
so the lightning glared in his eyes, and the earth gave way beneath
him, and the waters closed over his cry. And the moaning of the river
rose wildly into the night as it gushed over the

TWO BLACK STONES

CHAPTER V

HOW LITTLE GLUCK SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE GOLDEN RIVER, AND HOW
HE PROSPERED THEREIN, WITH OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST

When Gluck found that Schwartz did not come back, he was very sorry and
did not know what to do. He had no money and was obliged to go and
hire himself again to the goldsmith, who worked him very hard and gave
him very little money. So, after a month or two, Gluck grew tired and
made up his mind to go and try his fortune with the Golden River. "The
little king looked very kind," thought he. "I don't think he will turn
me into a black stone." So he went to the priest, and the priest gave
him some holy water