Part 22 (2/2)

Suddenly she spoke:

”You are right, e Leave it to Fortune Have you a coin?”

I had won my chance That was all--a chance--but that was better than nothing I took a silver peseta from my pocket--by luck it had not been lost--and held it in the air above my head

”Heads!” cried Desiree

I let the coin fall It rolled half-way across the top of the colue I crossed and stooped over it It lay heads up!

Harry was behind htened up I saw his white, set face and eyes of horror He, too, had seen the verdict; but he was ht of Desiree, for Harry was not a ht, and my voice was calm It cost me an effort to clear it of bitterness and reproach I could not avoid the reflection that but for Desiree ould never have seen the cave of the devil and the Children of the Sun; but I said simply and clearly:

”You win, madame”

Desiree stared at hed scornfully aloud, and held h; and I think a voice never held so complete a disdain as did mine as I called to her:

”I am one who plays fair, even with death, Le Mire The coin fell heads--you win your black cord fairly”

Shethe knife

Suddenly she stopped, again her hand fell, and she said:

”You say the purple for reward, Paul?”

I nodded--I could not speak Her hand touched the white cord and passed on; the yellow, and again passed on Then there was a flash of the knife--another--and she approached the king and laid at his feet the purple cord

Then, without a glance toward us, she resuolden throne

A lump rose to my throat and tears tohad been completely theatrical It was amblers to the man who ”played fair, even with death”; nevertheless, there was feeling in it, and the eternal mercy of woman

For all that was visible to the eye the verdict htest impression on the rows of silent Incas Not a ht have been carved from the stone on which they were seated

Their black, hairy bodies, squat and thick, threw back the light froh even those universal rays could not penetrate such grossness

Suddenly they rose--the king had round, and, after passing his hand over it three times, handed it to an attendant who approached

Then he stretched out his hand, and the Incas, who had rean to disappear As before, the cavern was emptied in an incredibly short space of time; in two minutes ere alone with those in the alcove

There was a sound behind us We turned and saw a great slab of stone slowly slide to one side in the floor, leaving an aperture some three feet square Evidently it had been closed behind us e had ascended; we had had no time to notice it then In this hole presently appeared the head and shoulders of our guide, who beckoned to us to follow and then disappeared below

I started to obey, but turned to wait for Harry, as gazing at Desiree His back was toward me and I could not see his face; his eyes must have held an appeal, for I saw Desiree's lips part in a smile and heard her call:

”You will see ether