Edgar Jepson

“ Pamela seemed invaded by a vague uneasiness. We sat down at the foot of a great pine growing out of a round barrow, the tomb of some old-time chieftain. She nestled close to me, and now and again she would draw herself upright and peer about, or seem to listen with intent ears. No uneasiness invaded me, though the sense of the mystery of the wood was strong on me.
At last she said, "What a place for the celebration of the rites, Heine!"
"It is indeed," I said and held her closer to me. ”

“ You can't let us down like this, hang it all!"
"I've told you forty times, and I tell you again that there will be no more celebration this year," said Woodfell; and his hoarse voice rang angry. "It's all very well for you three amateurs; you're content with what we have got. I'm not; it's child's play."
"I don't know what more a man could want," said the rich man almost in a whine of appeal.
"You don't; and you're not likely to. But I tell you what; you and Parmenter and Goskin can celebrate the rites by yourselves. ”

“ Were there other dancers on the lawn besides the celebrants of the rites?"
"I did not see them; I could not. But I knew that there were. I knew it well," said Pamela earnestly. "Oh, don't let's talk about them."
"We won't," I said, drawing her closer to me. "But I can't believe that all the creatures of the Abyss are harmful. Your sisters, the nymphs, now—if one of them came to us through the trees, I should not feel frightened in the least. Would you?" ”