Part 34 (1/2)
”Val, don't lie to me now--you're hurt!”
”It's not bad, really, Ricky--”
”Oh!” There was a single small cry and a moment of utter silence and then a hurried rustling.
”Here.” Her hand groped for his head. ”I've wadded up my cape. Can I slip it under your head?”
”Better not try just yet. Anything might send off the landslide again.
Just--just give me a minute or two to--to sort of catch my breath.”
Catch his breath, when every sobbing gasp he drew was a stab!
”Can't we--can't I lift some of the stuff off?” she asked.
”No. Too risky.”
”But--but we can't stay here--” Her voice trailed off and it was then that she must have realized for the first time just what had happened to them.
”I'm afraid we'll have to, Ricky,” said her brother quietly.
”But, Val--Val, what if--if--”
”If we aren't found?” he put her fear into words. ”But we will be.
Rupert is doubtless moving a large amount of earth right now to accomplish that.”
”Rupert doesn't know where we are.” She had regained control of both voice and spirit. ”We--we may never be found, Val.”
”I was a fool,” he stated plainly a fact which he now knew to be only too true.
”I would have come even if you hadn't, Val,” she answered generously and untruthfully. It was perhaps the kindest thing she had ever said.
Now that the noise of the catastrophe had died away they could hear again the drip of water. And that sound tortured Val's dry throat. A gla.s.s of cool water--He turned his head restlessly.
”If we only had a light,” came Ricky's wish.
”The flash is probably buried.”
”Val, will--will it be fun?”
”What?” he demanded, suddenly alert at her tone. Had the dark and their trouble made her light-headed?
”Being a ghost. We--we could walk the hall with Great-uncle Rick; he wouldn't begrudge us that.”
”Ricky! Stop it!”
Her answering laugh, though shaky, was sane enough.
”I do pick the wrong times to display my sense of humor, don't I? Val, is it so very bad?”
Something within him crumbled at that question.