Le Noir extended his hand into the darkness within and soon felt it
grasped by that of Black Donald, who, muttering: "Slowly, slowly, my colonel!" succeeded in guiding him down the utter
darkness of the subterranean descent until they stood upon the firm
bottom of the cavern.
They were still in the midst of a blackness that might be felt, except
that from a small opening in the side of the rock a light gleamed.
Toward this second opening Black Donald conducted his patron.
And stooping and passing before him, led him into an inner cavern, well
lighted and rudely fitted up. Upon a large natural platform of rock,
occupying the center of the space, were some dozen bottles of brandy or
whisky, several loaves of bread and some dried venison. Around this
rude table, seated upon fragments of rock, lugged thither for the
purpose, were some eight or ten men of the band, in various stages of
intoxication. Along the walls were piles of bearskins, some of which
served as couches for six or seven men, who had thrown themselves down
upon them in a state of exhaustion or drunken stupor.
"Come, boys, we have not a boundless choice of apartments here, and I
want to talk to my colonel! Suppose you take your liquor and bread and
meat into the outer cavern and give us the use of this one for an
hour," said the outlaw.
The men sullenly obeyed and began to gather up the viands. Demon Dick
seized one of the lights to go after them.
"Put down the glim! Satan singe your skin for you! Do you want to bring
a hue and cry upon us? Don't you know a light in the outer cavern can
be seen from the outside?" roared Black Donald.
Dick sulkily set down the candle and followed his comrades.
"What are you glummering about, confound you! You can see to eat and
drink well enough and find your way to your mouth, in the dark, you
brute!" thundered the captain. But as there was no answer to this and
the men had retreated and left their chief with his visitor alone,
Black Donald turned to Colonel Le Noir and said: "Well, my patron, what great matter is it that has caused you to leave
the company of fair Clara Day for our grim society?"
"Ah, then, it appears you are not aware that Clara Day has fled from
us--has made a successful appeal to the Orphans' Court, and been taken
out of our hands?" angrily replied Colonel Le Noir.