Part 54 (2/2)

I did not know then that the stone steps were baking and blistering my feet; I did not know, as I came level with the base of the flaed from my head and body--I only knew that I must reach the top of the column

Then I saw the source of the flae vats of oil--six, a dozen, twenty--I know not howthe coluht I sahat must be done; how I did it God only knows; I shutthe rim of the vat nearestdown the length of the column into the whirlpool, many feet below Then another, and another, and another, until the ledge was e fro weird patches of light up and down the whole length of the column Some of it landed on my body, my face, s, all the inside ofand whirled My eyes felt as though they were being burned from their sockets with red-hot irons I bounded upward

A few more steps--I could not see, I could hardly feel--and ainst the stone at the top of the colu around half crazily, and by some wild chance it came in contact with the slide thatwhat I did, and the stone flew to one side I stuckand saw Desiree

Her back was towardthe Incas seated round the vast aolden throne in the alcove, rose involuntarily from their seats in astonished wonder

Desiree saw the ht of me A sudden cry of amazement burst fro into my arms

I shook her violently, but she remained unconscious, and this added catastrophe all but unnerved me For a moment I stood on the upper step with the upper half ofbeyond the top of the coluan to descend with Desiree in ony Feeling was hardly in ered and stu to the bottom with my burden Desiree's form ree on which the vats had been placed and passed it; air entered s like a breeze from the an to think that I ht, after all, reach the bottoinning of the tunnel below

Desiree's forlance showedup into mine as her head lay back on my shoulder

”Why?” she moaned ”In the name of Heaven above us, why?” I had no tiht the step beloith a foot that had no feeling even for the stone We were nearly to the bottom; we reached it

I placed Desiree on her feet

”Can you stand?” I gasped; and the words were torn froreat effort

”But you!” she cried, and I saw that her eyes were filled with horror

No doubt I was a pitiful thing to look at

But there was no tirasped her arm and started down the tunnel just as Harry's voice, raised in a great shout, came to us fro back in terror ”Paul--” I dragged her forward

Then, as Harry's cry was repeated, she see forward beside me

Another second wasted and ould have been too late Just as we reached Harry's side, at the end of the tunnel, the Incas, warned by my appearance at the top of the column, appeared above on the stairway, at the foot of which Harry had ht of Desiree Harry uttered a cry of joy, then gazed in astonishment as I appeared behind her

”Run for your lives!” he shouted, pointing down the passage leading to the apartments beyond As he spoke a shower of spears descended froround beside us I stooped to pick up two of thee, with Harry bringing up the rear, the Incas dashed down the stairway after us

We found ourselves at once in theto the royal apartoal as any; and, besides, the way led to the cavern where we had once before successfully withstood our enemies But the as not so easy to find

Turn and twist about as ould, we could not shake off our pursuers

Harry kept urging th that was left toweaker at every step, and I could hear Harry's cry of despair as she perceptibly faltered and slackened her pace

I soon realized that ere no longer in the passage or group of passages that led to the royal apartments and the cavern beyond But there was no tih if ent forward We found ourselves in a narrow lane, streith rocks, crooked and winding

Desiree stumbled and would have fallen but for my outstretched arain bounded forward