Page 365 - The snake's pass

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THE FULFILMENT. 358
Dick was the first to regain his composure and, as
usual, to speak :
" The Lost Crown of Gold —the crown that gave the
!
hill its name, and was the genesis of the story of St.
Patrick and the King of the Snakes! Moreover, see,
there is a scientific basis for the legend. Before this
stream cut its way out through the limestone, and made
this cavern, the waters were forced upwards to the lake
at the top of the hill, and so kept it supplied ; but when
its channel was cut here—or a way opened for it by some
convulsion of nature, or the rending asunder of these
rocks—the lake fell away."
He stopped, and I went on:
" And sq, ladies and gentlemen, the legend is true,
that the Lost Crown would be discovered when the water
of the lake was found again."
" Begor that's thrue, anyhow !
! " said the voice of
Andy in the entrance. " Well, yer 'an'r, iv all the
sthrange things what iver happened, this is the most
sthrangest ! Fairies isn't in it this time, at all, *at
"
all !
I told Andy something of what had happened, in-
cluding the terrible deaths of Murdock and Moynahan,
and sent him off to tell the head constable of police,
and any one else he might see. I told him also of the
two skeletons found beside the chest.
Andy was off like a rocket. Such news as he had
to tell would not come twice in a man's lifetime, and
would make him famous through all the country-side.
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