failed her. I should have put her beyond their reach, as
I promised. I have reproached myself bitterly, Hal; you need add
nothing."

"Do you think I would? Only--there is something else. About what she
said to you. I knew that, you know."

I was silent; he continued:

"I knew it long ago. Do you think I am blind? And I want to say this
while I have a chance--it was uncommon good of you. To take it the way
you did, I mean."

His simplicity made me uncomfortable, and I made no answer. Indeed,
the thing was beyond discussion; it was merely a bare fact which, when
once stated, left nothing to be said. So I refused to humor Harry's
evident desire to thrash out the topic, and abruptly changed the
subject.

We must have lain bound in that cavern little short of a week. Our
wounds and bruises were completely healed, save one gash on Harry's
side where he had been hurled against the sharp edge of one of the
stone seats as he had been borne to the floor. But it was not painful,
and was nearly closed. And we could feel the return of strength even
through the stiffness caused by the inactivity of our muscles.

We had given up wondering at the delay by the time it came to an end.
When they finally came and cut our bonds and led us from the cavern we
felt nothing keener than a mere curiosity as to what awaited us at the
end of our journey. For myself, there was a distinct sensation of
thankfulness that uncertainty was to end.

They took no chances with us, but paid us the compliment of a truly
royal escort--at least, in number. There could not have been less than
two hundred of them in front, behind, and on either side, as we left
the cavern and proceeded along a narrow, winding passage to the left.

Once, as we started, we stretched our arms high and stood on tiptoe to
relieve the stiffness of our joints; and immediately found ourselves
clutched on every side by a score of hands.

"Gad! We seem to have made an impression!" Harry grinned. On the way
down the passage we marched with the Prussian goose-step, and felt the
blood quickening to life in our legs and arms.

We had proceeded in this manner for some ten minutes when we rounded a
corner which I recognized at once by the peculiar circular formation of
the walls. We were on our way to the great cavern--the cavern where we
had first seen Desiree, and where later she had won the toss for our
lives and then preserved them.

Another minute and we had