I
can. Shall we try the passage?"

"Yes. It is the only hope."

"All right then; I'll go first, and you follow as close as possible.
There mustn't be the slightest sound made."

Cavendish thrust his head cautiously through the door, the revolver
gripped in his hand; Miss Donovan, struggling to keep her nerves
steady, touched the coat of her companion, fearful of being alone. The
passage-way was dark, except for the little bars of light streaming out
through the slits in the stone above the cell doors. These, however,
were sufficient to convince Cavendish that no guards were in the
immediate neighbourhood. He felt the grip of the girl's fingers on his
coat, and reached back to clasp her hand.

"All clear," he whispered. "Hurry, and let's get this door closed."

They slipped through, crouching in the shadow as the door shut behind
them, eagerly seeking to pierce the mystery of the gloom into which the
narrow corridor vanished. Beyond the two cells and their dim rays all
was black silence, yet both felt a strange relief at escaping from the
confines of their prison. The open passage was cool, and the fugitives
felt fresh air upon their cheeks; nowhere did any sound break the
silence. Stella had a feeling as though they were buried alive.

"That--that is the way, is it not?" she asked. "I was brought from
below."

"Yes; it is not far; see, the passage leads upward. Come, we might as
well learn what is ahead."

They advanced slowly, keeping closely against the wall, and testing the
floor cautiously before venturing a step. A few yards plunged them
into total darkness, and, although Cavendish had been conducted along
there a prisoner, he retained small recollection of the nature of the
passage.

Their progress was slow but silent, neither venturing to exchange
speech, but with ears anxiously strained to catch the least sound.
Stella was conscious of the loud beating of her heart, the slight
rasping of Cavendish's feet on the rock floor. The slightest noise
seemed magnified. The grade rose sharply, until it became almost a
climb, yet the floor had evidently been levelled, and there were no
obstructions to add to the difficulty of advance. Then the passage
swerved rather sharply to the right, and Cavendish, leading, halted to
peer about the corner. An instant they both remained motionless, and
then, seeing and hearing nothing, she could restrain her impatience no
longer.

"What is it?" she questio