for the term of his natural life-第90章

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d　John　Rex　laugh　mentally；　at　a　crash　and　scramble　that　told　of　a　fall；　and　oncein　a　valley　where　trickled　a　little　stream　that　he　had　cleared　almost　without　an　effort　he　heard　a　splash　that　made　him　laugh　outright。　　The　track　now　began　to　go　uphill；　and　Rex　redoubled　his　efforts；　trusting　to　his　superior　muscular　energy　to　shake　off　his　pursuer。　　He　breasted　the　rise；　and　paused　to　listen。　　The　crashing　of　branches　behind　him　had　ceased；　and　it　seemed　that　he　was　alone。

He　had　gained　the　summit　of　the　cliff。　　The　lights　of　the　Neck　were　invisible。　Below　him　lay　the　sea。　　Out　of　the　black　emptiness　came　puffs　of　sharp　salt　wind。　　The　tops　of　the　rollers　that　broke　below　were　blown　off　and　whirled　away　into　the　nightwhite　patches；　swallowed　up　immediately　in　the　increasing　darkness。　　From　the　north　side　of　the　bay　was　borne　the　hoarse　roar　of　the　breakers　as　they　dashed　against　the　perpendicular　cliffs　which　guarded　Forrestier's　Peninsula。　　At　his　feet　arose　a　frightful　shrieking　and　whistling；　broken　at　intervals　by　reports　like　claps　of　thunder。　Where　was　he？　Exhausted　and　breathless；　he　sank　down　into　the　rough　scrub　and　listened。　　All　at　once；　on　the　track　over　which　he　had　passed；　he　heard　a　sound　that　made　him　bound　to　his　feet　in　deadly　fear　the　bay　of　a　dog！

He　thrust　his　hand　to　his　breast　for　the　remaining　pistol；　and　uttered　a　cry　of　alarm。　　He　had　dropped　it。　　He　felt　round　about　him　in　the　darkness　for　some　stick　or　stone　that　might　serve　as　a　weapon。　In　vain。　　His　fingers　clutched　nothing　but　prickly　scrub　and　coarse　grass。　The　sweat　ran　down　his　face。　　With　staring　eyeballs；　and　bristling　hair；　he　stared　into　the　darkness；　as　if　he　would　dissipate　it　by　the　very　intensity　of　his　gaze。　　The　noise　was　repeated；　and；　piercing　through　the　roar　of　wind　and　water；　above　and　below　him；　seemed　to　be　close　at　hand。　He　heard　a　man's　voice　cheering　the　dog　in　accents　that　the　gale　blew　away　from　him　before　he　could　recognize　them。　　It　was　probable　that　some　of　the　soldiers　had　been　sent　to　the　assistance　of　McNab。　　Capture；　then；　was　certain。　　In　his　agony；　the　wretched　man　almost　promised　himself　repentance；　should　he　escape　this　peril。　　The　dog；　crashing　through　the　underwood；　gave　one　short；　sharp　howl；　and　then　ran　mute。

The　darkness　had　increased　the　gale。　　The　wind；　ravaging　the　hollow　heaven；　had　spread　between　the　lightnings　and　the　sea　an　impenetrable　curtain　of　black　cloud。　　It　seemed　possible　to　seize　upon　this　curtain　and　draw　its　edge　yet　closer；　so　dense　was　it。　　The　white　and　raging　waters　were　blotted　out；　and　even　the　lightning　seemed　unable　to　penetrate　that　intense　blackness。　　A　large；　warm　drop　of　rain　fell　upon　Rex's　outstretched　hand；　and　far　overhead　rumbled　a　wrathful　peal　of　thunder。　The　shrieking　which　he　had　heard　a　few　moments　ago　had　ceased；　but　every　now　and　then　dull　but　immense　shocks；　as　of　some　mighty　bird　flapping　the　cliff　with　monstrous　wings；　reverberated　around　him；　and　shook　the　ground　where　he　stood。　　He　looked　towards　the　ocean；　and　a　tall　misty　Formwhite　against　the　all…pervading　blackness　beckoned　and　bowed　to　him。　　He　saw　it　distinctly　for　an　instant；　and　then；　with　an　awful　shriek；　as　of　wrathful　despair；　it　sank　and　vanished。　Maddened　with　a　terror　he　could　not　define；　the　hunted　man　turned　to　meet　the　material　peril　that　was　so　close　at　hand。

With　a　ferocious　gasp；　the　dog　flung　himself　upon　him。　　John　Rex　was　borne　backwards；　but；　in　his　desperation；　he　clutched　the　beast　by　the　throat　and　belly；　and；　exerting　all　his　strength；　flung　him　off。　The　brute　uttered　one　howl；　and　seemed　to　lie　where　he　had　fallen；　while　above　his　carcase　again　hovered　that　white　and　vaporous　column。　It　was　strange　that　McNab　and　the　soldier　did　not　follow　up　the　advantage　they　had　gained。　　Courageperhaps　he　should　defeat　them　yet！　　He　had　been　lucky　to　dispose　of　the　dog　so　easily。　　With　a　fierce　thrill　of　renewed　hope；　he　ran　forward；　when　at　his　feet；　in　his　face；　arose　that　misty　Form；　breathing　chill　warning；　as　though　to　wave　him　back。　　The　terror　at　his　heels　drove　him　on。　　A　few　steps　more；　and　he　should　gain　the　summit　of　the　cliff。　He　could　feel　the　sea　roaring　in　front　of　him　in　the　gloom。　The　column　disappeared；　and　in　a　lull　of　wind；　uprose　from　the　place　where　it　had　been　such　a　hideous　medley　of　shrieks；　laughter；　and　exultant　wrath；　that　John　Rex　paused　in　horror。　　Too　late。　The　ground　gave　wayit　seemedbeneath　his　feet。　　He　was　fallingclutching；　in　vain；　at　rocks；　shrubs；　and　grass。　　The　cloud…curtain　lifted；　and　by　the　lightning　that　leaped　and　played　about　the　ocean；　John　Rex　found　an　explanation　of　his　terrors；　more　terrible　than　they　themselves　had　been。　　The　track　he　had　followed　led　to　that　portion　of　the　cliff　in　which　the　sea　had　excavated　the　tunnel…spout　known　as　the　Devil's　Blow…hole。

Clinging　to　a　tree　that；　growing　half…way　down　the　precipice；　had　arrested　his　course；　he　stared　into　the　abyss。　　Before　himalready　high　above　his　headwas　a　gigantic　arch　of　cliff。　　Through　this　arch　he　saw；　at　an　immense　distance　below　him；　the　raging　and　pallid　ocean。　Beneath　him　was　an　abyss　splintered　with　black　rocks；　turbid　and　raucous　with　tortured　water。　　Suddenly　the　bottom　of　this　abyss　seemed　to　advance　to　meet　him；　or；　rather；　the　black　throat　of　the　chasm　belched　a　volume　of　leaping；　curling　water；　which　mounted　to　drown　him。　　Was　it　fancy　that　showed　him；　on　the　surface　of　the　rising　column；　the　mangled　carcase　of　the　dog？

The　chasm　into　which　John　Rex　had　fallen　was　shaped　like　a　huge　funnel　set　up　on　its　narrow　end。　　The　sides　of　this　funnel　were　rugged　rock；　and　in　the　banks　of　earth　lodged　here　and　there　upon　projections；　a　scrubby　vegetation　grew。　　The　scanty　growth　paused　abruptly　half…way　down　the　gulf；　and　the　rock　below　was　perpetually　damp　from　the　upthrown　spray。　Accidenthad　the　convict　been　a　Meekin；　we　might　term　it　Providence　had　lodged　him　on　the　lowest　of　these　banks　of　earth。　　In　calm　weather　he　would　have　been　out　of　danger；　but　the　lightning　flash　revealed　to　his　terror…sharpened　sense　a　black　patch　of　dripping　rock　on　the　side　of　the　chasm　some　ten　feet　above　his　head。　　It　was　evident　that　upon　the　next　rising　of　the　water…spout　the　place　where　he　stood　would　be　covered　with　water。

The　roaring　column　mounted　with　hideous　swiftness。　　Rex　felt　it　rush　at　him　and　swing　him　upward。　　With　both　arms　round　the　tree；　he　clutched　the　sleeves　of　his　jacket　with　either　hand。　　Perhaps　if　he　could　maintain　his　hold　he　might　outlive　the　shock　of　that　suffocating　torrent。　　He　felt　his　feet　rudely　seized；　as　though　by　the　hand　of　a　giant；　and　plucked　upwards。　Water　gurgled　in　his　ears。　　His　arms　seemed　about　to　be　torn　from　their　sockets。　　Had　the　strain　lasted　another　instant；　he　must　have　loosed　his　hold；　but；　with　a　wild　hoarse　shriek；　as　though　it　was　some　sea…monster　baffled　of　its　prey；　the　column　sank；　and　left　him　gasping；　bleeding；　half…drowned；　but　alive。　　It　was　impossible　that　he　could　survive　another　shock；　and　in　his　agony　he　unclasped　his　stiffened　fingers；　determined　to　resign　himself　to　his　fate。　At　that　instant；　however；　he　saw　on　the　wall　of　rock　that　hollowed　on　his　right　hand；　a　red　and　lurid　light；　in　the　midst　of　which　fantastically　bobbed　hither　and　thither　the　gigantic　shadow　of　a　man。　He　cast　his　eyes　upwards　and　saw；　slowly　descending　into　the　gulf；　a　blazing　bush　tied　to　a　rope。　　McNab　was　taking　advantage　of　the　pause　in　the　spouting　to　examine　the　sides　of　the　Blow…hole。

A　despairing　hope　seized　John　Rex。　　In　another　instant　the　light　would　reveal　his　figure；　clinging　like　a　limpet　to　the　rock；　to　those　above。　　He　must　be　detected　in　any　case；　but　if　they　could　lower　the　rope　sufficiently；　he　might　clutch　it　and　be　saved。　　His　dread　of　the　horrible　death　that　was　beneath　him　overcame　his　resolution　to　avoid　recapture。　　The　long…drawn　agony　of　the　retreating　water　as　it　was　sucked　back　again　into　the　throat　of　the　chasm　had　ceased；　and　he　knew　that　the　next　tremendous　pulsation　of　the　sea　below　would　hurl　the　spuming　destruction　up　upon　him。　　The　gigantic　torch　slowly　descended；　and　he　had　already　drawn　in　his　breath　for　a　shout　which　should　make　itself　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　wind　and　water；　when　a　strange　appearance　on　the　f