aught with which the affrighted sense
Hath ever made acquaintance.

When Sybil recovered from her death-like swoon, she felt herself being
borne slowly on through what seemed a narrow, tortuous underground
passage; but the utter darkness, relieved only by a little gleaming red
taper that moved like a star before her, prevented her from seeing more.

A presentiment of impending destruction possessed her, and overwhelming
horror filled her soul and held her faculties. Though her life had
depended upon her speech, she could not have uttered a syllable. And no
word was breathed by the mysterious beings who bore her on. Dumb as
mutes at a funeral, they marched. Silent, breathless as one on the brink
of death, Sybil held her senses fast and prayed. And the little red
spark moved through the darkness before her, like a malignant star
leading her to doom. And how long drawn out the dreadful way! minutes
seemed months, and hours ages. The awful forms that held her in their
hands; their monotonous tread as they bore her on; their utter silence;
the deep darkness; the damp, earthy, stifling atmosphere; the agony of
suspense; the horror of anticipation!--all these must have sent her into
another swoon, but that her vigilant mind still held her senses alert,
and she prayed.

Who were these beings? Why had they abducted her? What would they do
with her? She asked herself these questions, but shrank appalled from
any possible answer. Death? dishonor worse than death? Oh that some
miracle might save her in this tremendous peril! She prayed. And what a
tedious anguish of anxiety! When would the end come?

At length a breath of fresh air as from the upper world was wafted past
her face. Welcome as a drop of cold water to a parched palate, was this
breath of fresh air to her fevered lungs. But it passed, and all was
close and suffocating again.

Next a faint gleam of pale light glanced through the darkness far ahead,
but it vanished, and all was blackness again, but for the little red
spark moving before her. All silent, suffocating, dark.

But presently there came another breath of air, together with a faint,
fair, blue light as of day, in the far distance. And soon the breath of
air became a breeze, and Sybil drew in refreshing draughts that, in
renewing her vitality almost restored her courage.

And now they moved on faster, for the path was freer. And now also the
dawning light enabled Sybil to see her captors; and if any