Part 55 (2/2)

”I know! Would you ently overeyes--”you must have cared for me in that other world I will not doubt it; unless you speak, and you h for us We could have opened any door--even the door to happiness”

”But you said once--forgive me if I remind you of it now--you said that you are--you called yourself 'La Marana'”

She shrank back, exclaiive you!”

”Still, it is true,” I persisted, turning to look at her The reat wave of pain swept over me from head to foot Then I went on: ”Could you expect to confine your heart? You say we could have opened any door--well, tell me, what could we have done, you and I?”

”But that is what I do not think of!” cried Desiree impatiently ”I would perhaps have placed my hand on your heart, as I do now; you would perhaps have fought for ht even--” She hesitated, while the ghost of a sht appeared on her lips, as her head was lowered close, quite close, tomoment, and then, ”Must I ask for it?” I breathed

She jerked her head up sharply

”You do not want it,” she said dryly

I raised ers, but could not find them

She saw, and slowly, very slowly, her hand crept to ht and held there

”Desiree--I want it,” I said half fiercely, and I forgotbut her white face in diainst her wish, and her hand that nestled in my hand ”Bein my life Desiree, I love you”

At that I felt her hand move quickly, as for freedom, but I held it fast And then slowly her head was lowered I waited breathlessly I felt her quick breath on my face, and the next moment her lips had found my lips, hot and dry, and re tremulously:

”That was my soul, and it is the first time it has ever escaped me”

At the same instant ere startled by the sound of Harry's voice in the darkness:

”Desiree! Where are you?”

I waited for her to answer, but she was silent, and I called out to him our direction A moment later his form appeared at a distance, and soon he had joined us

”How about it, oldover me

Then he told us that he had found no water He had explored two sides of the cavern, one at a distance of half ato find the third when he had called to us

”But there is little use,” he finished gloorave If there ater ould hear it I can't even find an exit except the crevice that let us in”

Desiree's hand was still in ested But he would not hear of it, and set out again alone in the opposite direction to that which he had taken previously

In a fewno better success than before

On that side, he said, the wall of the cavern was quite close There was no sign anywhere of water; but to the left there were several narrow lanes leading at angles whose sides were nearly parallel to each other, and soe sloping doard directly away from the cavern