One Hot Day In December I Had Been Standing Perfectly Still For A Few Minutes Among The Dry Weeds When A Slight Rustling Sound Came From Near My Feet, And Glancing Down I Saw The Head And Neck Of A Large Black Serpent Moving Slowly Past Me.

In a moment or two the flat head was lost to sight among the close-growing weeds, but the

Long body continued moving slowly by - so slowly that it hardly appeared to move, and as the creature must have been not less than six feet long, and probably more, it took a very long time, while I stood thrilled with terror, not daring to make the slightest movement, gazing down upon it. Although so long it was not a thick snake, and as it moved on over the white ground it had the appearance of a coal-black current flowing past me - a current not of water or other liquid but of some such element as quicksilver moving on in a rope-like stream. At last it vanished, and turning I fled from the ground, thinking that never again would I venture into or near that frightfully dangerous spot in spite of its fascination.

Nevertheless I did venture. The image of that black mysterious serpent was always in my mind from the moment of waking in the morning until I fell asleep at night. Yet I never said a word about the snake to any one: it was my secret, and I knew it was a dangerous secret, but I did not want to be told not to visit that spot again.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 232 of 355
Words from 64341 to 64609 of 98444