BY

GEORGE TAYLOR.

FROM THE GERMAN BY

SUTTON FRASER CORKRAN.

_Copyright Edition._

IN TWO VOLUMES.--VOL. II.

LEIPZIG 1883
BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ.

LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE & RIVINGTON.
CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET.
PARIS: C. REINWALD, 15, RUE DES SAINTS PERES.

KLYTIA.

CHAPTER I.

Disturbed by the heavy fall of the young maiden the bats flew out of
the dark cellar and whirred wildly around. Toads crept from out of the
swampy rain-sodden ground and crawled up the damp wall towards the
opening. The terrified mice ran hither and thither. The moon had
reached its highest point, and cast its cold rays through the square
aperture on the humid wall. A violent pain in her foot aroused Lydia
from the faint, into which she had fallen, and in the which she knew
not how long she had lain. When she endeavored to stand up, she became
aware that her foot was broken. Only half conscious of her position,
she looked up through the shaft of the cellar, at the starry heaven
above. The Lord on whom she had called for aid had saved her from a
hideous fate. "He will not suffer me to perish here," she said with the
patience of a person afflicted with a serious illness. But the sight
was terrible which the beams of the Moon now falling straight disclosed
to her, as her eyes became more and more accustomed to the darkness.
Dozens of bats flew noiselessly about in the dark. Horrible toads
crawled along the wet walls. A rat ran across her face, so that she had
to start up in spite of her pain to frighten the animal away. Overhead,
all was still. Lydia reflected that her shouts would attract no one to
her, except perhaps her pursuers. She therefore determined to husband
her strength till dawn. She would then certainly succeed in making
herself heard by some of the children picking berries, or by some of
the numerous laborers. Anxiously did she gaze upwards towards the
opening to see whether the cold light of the moon was not giving way to
the warmer beams of the sun. Her back hurt her from having fallen
against stones, the stinging pain in her foot caused her to sob, but
she believed that she would be saved,