hanked him for
his kindness in arousing him.

And then he went and gathered his tools together, and saddled his horse,
and without waiting for bite or sup, he told his mate that he had work
to do at a distance, and mounted and rode off towards the ferry, which
he had to cross to reach the river road on the other side, because,
with, the weight of iron tools he carried, he could not possibly get
over the ford.

All this contributed so to delay Joe's journey, that the sun set while
he was still upon the river road, and "the shades of night were falling
fast" when he reached the entrance of the thicket path leading to the
Haunted Chapel.

He had not ridden more than a hundred yards up this path, before the
thunder of the explosion burst upon his appalled ears. And at the same
instant his affrighted horse, with a violent bound, threw him to the
earth, jumped forward and fled away.

Amazed, stunned, bewildered as he was, Joe did not entirely lose his
senses. When recovered a little from the shock, he felt himself all over
to see what bones were broken; and found to his great relief that all
were sound.

Then he got upon his feet, and looked about him; but a dense, heavy,
black vapor was settling down upon the thicket, hiding all things from
his view, while the stifling fumes of brimstone took his breath away.

"I'm----!"--Joe in his consternation swore a very profane oath, which it
is not necessary here to repeat--"ef I don't b'leibe as de Debbil has
blowed de old Haunted Chapel! And oh! my Hebbenly Marster! _ef so_, what
have become o' Miss Sybil and Marse Lyon, and Nelly?" he cried in a
sudden pang of terror and sorrow, as he tried to hurry towards the scene
of the tragedy. He set off in a run, but was brought up short by a sharp
severe pain in his right ancle.

"It's sprained! Bress de Lord, ef it an't sprained!" he cried, drawing
up and caressing his injured limb.

"It an't no use! I can't put it to the ground no more!" he groaned.

Then standing upon his left foot and holding the other in his hand, he
looked around and saw the pick lying among the scattered tools, that had
fallen from his hold when the horse threw him. He cautiously bent down
and took up the pick, and reversed it, and using it as a crutch, he
hobbled on through the thicket towards the ruins of the old chapel. But
his progress was so slow and painful that it took him nearly an hour to
reach the place.

When at length he emerged from the thic