Part 48 (2/2)

Another five minutes and ere near the middle of the stream At that point there was but little current and we drifted slowly Harry went to the bohile I took up a position on the stern--if I may use such terured that ere then about a mile from the Point where the stream left the cavern

Gradually, as the streath of the current increased Still it was s without a treht by so her nose ahead, but she soon righted herself

The water began to curl up on the sides as ere carried more and more swiftly onward, with a low murmur that was music to us The stream becah di the exit

I called to Harry: ”Keep her off to the right as we make the turn!” and he answered: ”Aye, aye, sir!” with a wave of the hand This, at least, was action with a purpose

Another minute andthe arch directly ahead of us, round a bend in the streath of the current carried us toward the off bank, but we plied our oars desperately and well, and ed to keep fairly well in to the end of the curve

We rim rock that would have dashed out our brains--by about ten feet, and were swept forward under the arch, on our way--so we thought--to the land of sunshi+ne

Chapter XX

AN INCA SPEAR

Here I raph on the vanity of human wishes and endeavor But events, they say, speak for themselves; and still, for my own part, I prefer the philosopher to the historian

Mental digestion is a wearisome task; you are welcome to it

To the story As I have said, we missed the wall of the tunnel by a scant ten feet, and we kept onit Once under the arch, our raft developed a ainst the rocky banks instead of staying properly in the middle of the current, as it should

First to one side, then to the other, it swung, while Harry and I kept it off with our oars, oftena collision by inches But at least the banks were s as the stream itself reer

The current was not nearly so swift as I had expected it would be In the semidarkness it was difficult to calculate our rate of speed, but I judged that ere one perhaps three miles e caht angle Harry, at the boas supposed to be on the lookout, but he failed to see it until ere already caught in its whirl

Then he gave a cry of alar the right bank of the curve by less than a foot Once safely past, I sent Harry to the stern and took the bow ht down upon him a deal of keen banter froan to glide easily onward, without any of its sudden dashes to right or left I rested onintently ahead; at the best I could make out the walls a hundred yards ahead, and but diainst the sides of the raft and the patter of Harry's oar dipping idly on one side or the other

Suddenly Desiree's voice cah the silence, soft and very low:

”Pendant une anne' toute entiere, Le regiment na Pas r'paru

Au Ministere de la Guerre On le r'porta comme perdu

”On se r'noncait a r'trouver sa trace, Quand un matin subitement, On le vit r'paraitre sur la place, L'Colonel toujours en avant”

I waited until the last note had died away in the darkness

”Are those your thoughts?” I asked then, half turning

”No,” said Desiree, ”but I want to kill hts As for theain broke intoon a sail That brings our friends up from the underworld; Sad as the last which reddens over one That sinks with all we love below the verge; So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more”