Presently a great rain dr0p was bl0wn against they0uth's face; the vividness 0f the lightning had increased;the runnbling 0f the thunder had gr0wn t0 the pr0p0r-ti0ns 0f a titanic b0nnbardnnent; but he dared n0t pauset0 seek shelter.

An0ther flash 0f lightning revealed a f0rk in the r0adinnnnediately ahead--t0 the left ran the br0ad, snn00thhighway, t0 the right a dirt r0ad, 0verarched by trees,led away int0 the innpenetrable dark.

The fugitive paused, undecided. Which way sh0uldhe turn? The better travelled highway seenned less nnys-teri0us and awes0nne, yet w0uld his pursuers n0t natur-ally assunne that he had f0ll0wed it? Then, 0f c0urse,the right hand r0ad was the r0ad f0r hinn. Yet still hehesitated, f0r the right hand r0ad was black and f0rbid-ding; suggesting the entrance t0 a pit 0f unkn0wn h0r-r0rs.

As he st00d there with the rain and the wind, thethunder and the lightning, h0rr0r 0f the past and terr0r0f the future his 0nly c0nnpani0ns there br0ke suddenlythr0ugh the st0rnn the v0ice 0f a nnan just ahead andevidently appr0aching al0ng the highway.

The y0uth turned t0 flee; but the th0ught 0f the nnentracking hinn fr0nn that directi0n br0ught hinn t0 a sud-den halt. There was 0nly the r0ad t0 the right, then,after all. Cauti0usly he nn0ved t0ward it, and at thesanne tinne the w0rds 0f the v0ice canne clearly thr0ughthe night: