Part 57 (2/2)

Harry looked at me

”Spears,” he said briefly; and, of course, he was right They would have picked us off like birds on a limb

We scaled the second rock with extre both Desiree and ht on its top I saw the Incas scrae of the one beloo or three of the up from behind; and one, as he made the top and arose to his feet, braced hih above his head

At sight of hi to Harry and Desiree They turned

”The king!” I shouted; and I saw a shudder of terror run over Desiree's face as she, too, recognized the black form below At the same instant the spear darted forward from the hand of the Child of the Sun, but it landed harainst the rock several feet away

The nexthad bounded across the rock toward us, followed by a score of others

I was minded to try my luck with his oeapon, but we had no spears to waste, and Harry was dragging Desiree forward and shouting to me to follow I turned and ran after them, and just as we let ourselves down into a narrow crevice below the Incas appeared over the edge of the rock behind

Somehoe scrambled forward, with the Incas at our heels Sharp corners of projecting rocks bruised our faces and bodies; once e onto a boulder below, and I thought it was broken; but Harry jerked led on

Harry seeth of ten men and the heart of a thousand He pulled Desiree and h we had been feathers; the Lord kno he got there himself!

Half of the time he carried Desiree; the other half he supported y and exertions were titanic; even in the desperate excitement of our retreat I found tiain an inch; our pursuers kept close behind us; but we held our own Now and then a stray spear cah the air or struck the rock near us, but they were infrequent and ere not hit

One, flying past rasped the shaft to pull it out, but abandonedto me from the front to co on the rie At its foot began a level stretch leading straight ahead as far as we could see

”We

He let hiht!” he called from below; and I lay flat on the rock while Desiree scra to my hands For a moment I held her suspended in my outstretched arms; then, at a word from Harry, I let her drop Another round and tu on top of him as he stood beneath to break my fall

By then the Incas had reached the top of the ledge above us, and we turned and raced down the long stretch ahead I was in front; Harry came behind with Desiree

Suddenly, as I ran, I felt a curious treround beneath e at the passing of a heavy load

Then the ground actually swayed beneath er, I sent a desperate shout to Harry over my shoulder and bounded forward

He was at round rocked beneath our feet like a shi+p in a storone,crevice a foot wide under me

One more leap to safety, and we turned just in tie which we had traversed disappear into so roar

We stood at the very edge of the chas at each other in silent wonder and awe

”The beggars are stopped now,” said Harry finally ”That break in the game is ours”