fely to the cave's mouth. He stood upright and
looked about him. Then he drew up to his feet the dangling roll; with it
in his arms he was gone into that yawning hole. She waited breathlessly
for his return. She saw him come again into the light; he had the rope
in his hand, was coiling it. He began to come down. He was returning for
her.

She did not stir while he made the slow descent, nor while he recrossed
on the log and climbed the steep bank to her.

"I am going to spend the day up there," he told her in his studied aloof
manner. "I'll know soon enough now what truth there is in the story of
Gus Ingle's gold. There's room in the cave to sleep, and there's shelter
of a sort. To-morrow morning, if I find nothing, I'll start back with
you. If you care to come up now I'll help you."

"What else is there to do?" cried Gloria, with the first flash of
passion. "What else do you leave me?"

He slipped a loop of the rope about her waist, taking slow pains not to
touch her with his hands, and turned downward again. She followed,
filled with sudden fear when they had climbed down ten feet, obeying him
hastily when he commanded her to stand still or to move on, feeling her
fear grow mightily as they progressed. The wind, strengthening abruptly,
tore at her in angry gusts. She was panting and shaking visibly when
finally she reached the log spanning the stream. He was up before her,
offering her his hand. How she hated to touch it! How she feared to
follow him! But her hand went into his, her steps followed his, and
without hesitation; for there was nothing left now to choice. She looked
down and saw the water raging below; it was like a monster leaping at
her, snatching at her. She wanted to look away and could not. Like one
moving through the fearsome steps of a nightmare she went on, clinging
to King's hand, his hand tight upon hers, cold hands which met because
they must. At last the torrent was behind her; she came down into King's
arms from the log; she was faint and would have sat down. But he urged
her on.

It was another nightmare climbing up the cliffs to the cave. He went
ahead; he stopped and braced himself; he tautened the rope about her
waist and said: "Come on. Slow and careful does it." She clutched with
her cold, sore fingers at the rocks, felt the rope tighten, and went up
and up. The wind, as though in a fury at losing its quarry, shrieked in
her ears, and in mighty gusts strove to drag her hands from t