Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 1 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 As the exorcist presumably knew his own business, and his word was for the time law, Captain Bombard conferred with him for a few moments, then turned to me. ‘As th’art_a friend of this unhappy wight ye shall enter the cell and help. Be- like we may ha’ need of strong hands. Give him thy commands, physicians.” It was then that Slythey looked me -straight in the face. If he recognized me he gave no word of it, although I fancied a faint glimmer in his shifty eyes. “Fetch a brazier with lighted char in it,” he commanded; ‘also some green sticks; likewise mustard and water and pepper, salt, catsup, and such hot stuffs.” These were procured after some delay and placed in the cel at Slythey’s direc- tion, the condiments on the stool and the glowing brazier under the far end of the berich upon which Jack Bunyan sat stolid- ly following his “ Pathway.” Master Sly- they, I noticed, carefully kept his back to the barred door, himself standing in the prison alley and issuing directions over his left shoulder without more than half-turn- ing his head. When all was placed as commanded, Slythey, still with his back to the scene (as if the attitude were a necessary part of the strange business) ordered that the pos- sessed person be made to lie flat on: his stomach -on the bench, his face over the end and directly above the brazier. Hob-. goblin obeyed without a murmur, only sighing as he closed his ‘“ Pathway ” and thrust the little volume into the top of his other jackboot. - Onee Hobgoblin was in the required po- sition, Slythey ordered me to place the green sticks on the hot coals of the brazier. In less than a minute a cloud of aerid smoke arose from the verdant wood and enveloped Trooper Bunyan’s head. “Open thy mouth that the evil may escape!” cried Master Slythey in a sing- song voice. “ Open thine eyes that ye may see the evil one depart!” -Bunyan, I suppose, obeyed, for instant- ly he began to cough and weep as the reek choked and blinded him. Not until this pass did Master Slythey enter the cell, and he at once busied him- © self with other measures while Hobgoblin gulped and sputtered, flat on his belly on the bench, with his mouth open over the smoking brazier. Swiftly Master Slythey, muttering to himself the while, mixed mustard and water in the prisoner’s pewter pot, added a generous dash of pepper, a half-handful of salt, and a heavy splash of catsup. “Drink!” he commanded the prostrate Bunyan. thy liver and evil from thy soul. Drink!” Giles Bombard, his face wrought with friendly concern, while mine must have be- trayed a growing suspicion and rage, al- most tenderly helped to raise the head of the patient Hobgoblin. My unhappy friend had scarce swallowed half of the nauseous dose before he was seized with a violent retching. His stomach must have been -of iron to retain the mixture at all As it was, he . Sprang to his feet despite the protests of Sslythey and Giles Bombard and fought an inward battle against sickness. While he leaned against the cell wall, gasping and gulping, tears streaming adown his smoke- grimed face, he managed to articulate: ‘““ Nay — nay — nay! If this be — the remedy—let me—keep my—devil!” ‘‘ Silence!” cried Master Slythey in hor- rified tones. ‘“ Thou wilfully desirest evil? Heed him not!” turning to Captain Giles. “ Down with him upon the bench. ’Tis not he, but the evil that cries through his mouth!” | It may have been that in raising his - voice Master Slythey betrayed his identity to Hobgoblin’s ears, for Bunyan was too blinded by tears to see. Anyway, as Giles seized hold of him again and summoned me to assist in laying my friend back upon his belly, Hobgoblin recognized his tor- Giles Bombard was flung violently against the opposite wall, hurled by Bun- yan’s mighty arms. Ther, meeting no willing obstacle in me, Hobgoblin leaped at the exorcist’s throat with a bellow that must have sprung from the roaring devil which could not be cast ont. | (To be continued NEXT WEEE.) Co 1LOOOLK “This will expel all bile from C@ 5}