Part 12 (1/2)

I forgot Desiree and Harry; I lost all consciousness of where I was and what I was doing; the silent fury of the strealed desperately, blindly, sobbing with rage This could not have lasted er; I was very near the end

Suddenly, with a thrill of joy, I realized that the speed of the current was decreasing Then a reaction of despair seized n er any doubt; the water carried me slower and slower

I floated with little difficulty, wondering--could it be an approach to a smaller outlet which acted as a da of the incline of the bed of the stream? I cursed the darkness for my helplessness

Finally the water becaed by the absence of pressure on an to swiic, and I struck out with bold and sweeping strokes; and by that lack of caution all but destroyed ainst a wall of stone, unseen in the darkness

I was stunned co revived me; and when I returned to the surface I swa for the wall It was not there, and I had no idea of its direction But I had now learned caution; and by swi care not to go far in any one direction, I finally discovered it

My hand easily reached the top, and, grasping the slippery surface with a grip th in one final effort, I drew round

Under such circumstances time has no place in a man's calculations; he is satisfied to breathe I believe that I lay barely conscious for several hours, but it may have been merely as many minutes Then I felt life stir within s and sat up

Gradually entered ht of Desiree and Harry and the Andes above and Felipe shuddering with terror as he flew from the cave of the devil

First came Harry; but hope did not enter It was inconceivable that he, too, should have escaped that fearful torrent; stupendous luck alone had saved uided one! I had no thought of ard for what it held; nothing had been sacred to me; no affection had been more than a day's caprice; I had merely sucked amusement from its bitter fruit

But I loved Harry; I realized it with so like astonishment He was dear to ht of having lost hi out wildly:

”Harry! Harry, lad! Harry!”

The cavern resounded The call went froh black space with a curious tremor, and finally died away in so call!

Owing to the conflicting echoes of the cavern, the tone could not be recognized But the as un toOut of the blackness surrounding me came the words, in Harry's voice, much lower, but distinct:

”Paul! Paul, where are you?”

”Thank Heaven!” I breathed; and I answered:

”Here, Harry boy, here”

”But where?”

”I don't know On a ledge of rock at the edge of the water Where are you?”

”Saht side,” I answered with heartfelt emphasis ”That is to say, the outside If it weren't for this infernal darkness--Listen! How far away does my voice sound?”

But the innue of distance by sound We tried it over and over; sometimes it seemed that ere only a few feet apart, sometimes a mile or more

Then Harry spoke in a whisper, and his voice appeared to be directly in ht so completely black as that cavern; we had had several hours, presumably, for our eyes to adjust themselves to the phenomenon; but when I held et even the faintest suggestion of its outline

”This is useless,” I declared finally ”We must experiment Harry!”

”Yes”