CHAPTER XXIV. LIFE IN THE SWAMPS.

aslittleconsciousnessoffatigueasifhehadbeenaspirit.Evenhadhebeenperceivedatthattime,itisprobablethathecouldnomorehavebeentaken,orbound,thanthedemoniacofGadara. AfterhepartedfromHarryhepursuedhiswaytotheinterioroftheswamp,aswashisusualhabit,repeatingtohimself,inachantingvoice,suchwordsofpropheticwritaswerefamiliartohim. Thedayhadbeensultry,anditwasnowanhourortwopastmidnight,whenathunder-storm,whichhadlongbeengatheringandmutteringinthedistantsky,begantodevelopitsforces. Alow,shiveringsighcreptthroughthewoods,andswayedinweirdwhistlingsthetopsofthepinesandsharparrowsoflightningcameglitteringdownamongthedarknessofthebranches,asifsentfromthebowofsomewarlikeangel.Anarmyofheavycloudssweptinamomentacrossthemoonthencameabroad,dazzling,blindingsheetofflame,concentratingitselfonthetopofatallpinenearwhereDredwasstanding,andinamomentshiveredallitsbranchestotheground,asachildstripstheleavesfromatwig.Dredclappedhishandswithafiercedelightand,whiletherainandwindwerehowlingandhissingaroundhim,heshoutedaloud:— "Wake,OarmoftheLord!Awake,putonthystrength!ThevoiceoftheLordbreakeththecedars—yea,thecedarsofLebanon!ThevoiceoftheLorddivideththeflamesoffire!ThevoiceoftheLordshakeththewildernessofKadesh!Hailstonesandcoalsoffire!" Thestorm,whichhowledaroundhim,benttheforestlikeareed,andlargetrees,uprootedfromthespongyandtremuloussoil,fellcrashingwithatremendousnoisebut,asifhehadbeenadarkspiritofthetempest,heshoutedandexulted. Theperceptionofsuchawfulpowerseemedtoanimatehim,andyettoexciteinhissoulanimpatiencethatHewhosepowerwassoinfinitedidnotawaketojudgment. "Rendtheheavens,"hecried,"andcomedown!Avengetheinnocentblood!Castforththinearrows,andslaythem!Shootoutthylightnings,anddestroythem!" Hissoulseemedtokindlewithalmostafierceimpatience,atthetolerationofthatAlmightyBeing,who,havingthepowertoblastandtoburn,sosilentlyendures.CouldDredhavepossessedhimselfofthoselightnings,whatwouldhavestoodbeforehim?Buthiscry,likethecryofthousands,onlywentuptostandinwaitingtillanawfulcomingday! Graduallythestormpassedbythebigdropsdashedlessandlessfrequentlyasofterbreezepassedthroughtheforest,withapatterliketheclappingofathousandlittlewingsandthemoonoccasionallylookedoverthesilverybattlementsofthegreatclouds. AsDredwasstartingtogoforward,oneoftheseclearrevealingsshowedhimthecoweringformofaman,crouchedattherootofatree,afewpacesinfrontofhim.Hewasevidentlyafugitive,and,infact,wastheoneofwhoseescapetotheswampstheGeorgiatraderhadcomplainedofthedayofofthemeeting. "Whois