he seat of
honor," said Sybil's nameless hostess, as she led her to the little
piano chair and put her on it.

Then for herself she took one of the three-legged stools, saying to her
handmaid:

"You may take the other two seats away. Moloch and Belial will not be at
breakfast with us this morning. They have gone back to the vault to lay
the train."

"Dangerous," muttered the old woman between her shut lips.

"Never you mind, Mother Hecate! Moloch's courage and Belial's craft will
enable them to take care of themselves," said the girl, as she set a cup
of hot coffee before her guest, and placed a broiled partridge and a
buckwheat cake upon her plate.

Sybil's long ride of the night before, followed as it had been by a
refreshing sleep, had so restored her strength and appetite that,
despite her late fright and her present anxieties, she made a very good
breakfast.

"And now," said the young hostess, as they arose from the table, "what
will you do? Will you lie down on my bed in the next cavern and sleep;
or will you sit here where it is warm, and talk: or will you let me show
you through this net-work of caverns, that underlies all this mountain?"

"You are very kind, at all events, and I thank you much, and I think I
would like to look at this great natural curiosity, whose very existence
so near my home I never even suspected," said Sybil; for she really
wished to explore the wonderful labyrinth, not only from motives of
curiosity, but also of policy; for she thought it would be well to know
the ins and outs of this underground habitation, in case she should find
it necessary to make her escape.

So her hostess took her back into the splendid outer cavern, saying:

"You do not wish to go back through any of those caverns you passed in
coming here, so we will go this way."

And she passed behind another of those over-lapping partitions of rock,
and led Sybil into another small division, fitted up as a rude but clean
bed-chamber. In one corner was a pile of dried moss and leaves, covered
with fine white linen sheets and soft, warm, woolen blankets. On a ledge
of rock stood a tin wash-basin, in which stood a pure silver ewer. In a
word, the appointments of this apartment were as incongruous as those of
the other had been found.

"This is my bed, and if you should be tired when we get back from our
tour through the caverns, or at any time, you can lie down here and
sleep in perfect safety," said the girl.