Part 54 (1/2)

She was standing on the top of the lofty column in the center of the lake

Her white body, uncovered, was outlined sharply against the black background of the cavern above

Chapter XXII

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Neither Harry nor I spoke; our eyes were concentrated on the scene before us, trying to co indefinable in Desiree's attitude that told me the truth--what, I cannot tell Her profile was toward us; it could not have been her eyes or any expression of her face; but there was a tenseness about her pose, a stiffening of the muscles of her body, an air of lofty scorn and supre soure, that flashed certainty into my brain

And on the instant I turned to Harry

”Follow me,” I whispered; and he e in e we ran, halting at its end Harry opened his lips to speak, but I took the words from his mouth; seconds were precious

”They have fired the column--you remember Follow me; keep your spear ready; not a sound, if you love her”

I saw that he understood, and saw too, by the expression that shot into his face, that it would go ill with any Incas who tried to stop us then

We rushed forward side by side, guessing at our way, seeking the entrance to the tunnel that led to the foot of the coluht not be too late; Harry's lips were cohtly as a vise Death we did not fear, even for Desiree; but we remembered the horror of our own experience on the top of that column, and shuddered as we ran

As I have said, we had entered the great cavern at a point almost directly opposite the alcove, and therefore at a distance froht It was necessary to half encircle the cavern, and the passages were so often crossed by other passages that uess at the proper road

But not for an instant did we hesitate; we flew rather than ran I felt within th and resolve of tenI h a thousand devils stood in my way

I do not knohat led us; whether a remorseful Providence, who suddenly decided that we had been played with long enough, or the mere anio that it seereat cavern scarcely a minute behind us when I suddenly saw the steps of a steep stairway leading down froht

How my heart leaped then! Harry uttered a hoarse cry of exultation

The next instant ere dashi+ng headlong down the steps, avoiding a fall by I know not what miracle And there before us was the entrance to the tunnel

I held Harry back, aluard the entrance

I'll get her”

”No,” he cried, pushi+ng forward ”I can't stay”

”Fool!” I cried, dashi+ng hiht like rats in a trap Defend that entrance--with your life!”

I saw hi that he would obey, I dashed forward into the tunnel When nearly to its end I ainst the wall A sharp pain shot through my left shoulder, but at the time I was scarcely conscious of it as I picked ht

Just as I reached the foot of the spiral stairway I saw a black for from it That Inca never knehat hit him I did not use my spear; time was too precious He disappeared in the whirlpool beneath the base of the coluh which Harry and I had once miraculously escaped

But despair filled my heart as, with my feet on the first step of the spiral stairway, I cast a quick glance upward The upper half of the inside of the colu furnace of fire How or from what it came I did not stop to inquire; I bounded up the stairway in desperate fury