This stone had ap-
parently marked the grave out of which the tree
had sprung ages ago. The tree's exacting roots had
robbed the grave and made the stone a prisoner.
A sudden wind pushed some dry leaves and twigs
from the uppermost face of the stone; I saw the low-
relief letters of an inscription and bent to read it.
God in heaven! my name in full!--the date of my
birth!--the date of my death!
A level shaft of light illuminated the whole side
of the tree as I sprang to my feet in terror. The sun
was rising in the rosy east. I stood between the tree
and his broad red disk--no shadow darkened the
trunk!
A chorus of howling wolves saluted the dawn. I
saw them sitting on their haunches, singly and in
groups, on the summits of irregular mounds and
tumuli filling a half of my desert prospect and ex-
tending to the horizon. And then I knew that
these were ruins of the ancient and famous city of
Carcosa.
Such are the facts imparted to the medium Bay-
rolles by the spirit Hoseib Alar Robardin.
THE STRANGER
A MAN stepped out of the darkness into the little
illuminated circle about our failing camp-fire and
seated himself upon a rock.
'You are not the first to explore this region,' he
said gravely.
Nobody controverted his statement; he was him-
self proof of its truth, for he was not of our party and
must have been somewhere near when we camped.
Moreover, he must have companions not far away;
it was not a place where one would be living or trav-
elling alone.
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