e ran out and disappeared, leaving the two men poring over
the papers together. Beside the burning heap of brushwood he stood
a moment, torn in an agony of uncertainty and fear.

"Oh!" he said, wringing his hands, "I dare not do it! I dare not do it!"

He rushed past the blazing heap, paused. "Fool!" he said, "what is
there to fear?"

He crept back to the pile of burning brush, seized a blazing ember,
ran with it to the train he had prepared of rags soaked in
kerosene, leading toward the mouth of the cross tunnel, dropped the
blazing stick upon it, and fled. Looking back, he saw that in his
haste he had dashed out the flame and that besides the saturated
rags the stick lay smoking. With a curse he ran once more to the
blazing brush heap, selected a blazing ember, carried it carefully
to the train, and set the saturated rags on fire, waiting until they
were fully alight. Then like a man pursued by demons, he fled down
the ravine, splashed through the Creek and up the other side, not
pausing to look behind until he had shut the door of his cabin.

As he closed the door, a dark figure appeared, slipped up to the
door, there was a click, a second, and a third, and the door stood
securely fastened with three stout padlocks. In another moment
Rosenblatt's livid face appeared at the little square window which
overlooked the ravine.

At the same instant, upon the opposite side of the ravine, appeared
Brown, riding down the slope like a madman, and shouting at the top
of his voice, "French! French! Kalman! For God's sake, come here!"

Out of the cave rushed the two men. As they appeared Brown stood
waving his hands wildly. "Come here! Come, for God's sake! Come!"
His eyes fell upon the blazing train. "Run! run!" he shouted,
"for your lives! Run!"

He dashed toward the blazing rags and trampled them under his feet.
But the fire had reached the powder. There was a quick hissing
sound of a burning fuse, and then a great puff. Brown threw himself
on his face and waited, but there was nothing more. His two friends
rushed to him and lifted him up.

"What, in Heaven's name, is it, Brown?" cried French.

"Come away!" gasped Brown, stumbling down the ravine and dragging
them with him.

Meantime, the whole hillside was in flames. In the clear light of
the blazing trees the Sergeant was seen riding his splendid horse
at a hard gallop. Soon after his appearing came Portnoff.

"What does all this mean?" said French, looking aro