why here's your magic stone!"

"Impossible!" I exclaimed, unable to believe her.

"I tell you it is, indeed!" she protested; and she brought the
stone to me, holding it in the palm of her hand.

I at once recognized the viking's talisman. And now I felt sure
that Thora was in the cave, and that she had probably dropped the
stone by some accident before going over the brink of the cliff,
for it was at the very edge that Jessie found it.

When I tried the rope again, I felt that the basket was being held.
Then the line was drawn further down, and again set loose, and I
drew it up. The basket had been emptied.

In the afternoon, as the snow had abated, I went out, though
without stating my intention, and returned to the top of the cliff,
determined upon making the descent to the cave and hearing from
Thora her reason for this strange freak of hers, before venturing
to inform them at Crua Breck that I had discovered the girl's
hiding place. The danger of a descent was very great, for the face
of the rocks was in parts coated with frozen snow, and I knew that
besides the difficulty of climbing with cold hands there was the
possibility of slipping upon the icy surface of the ledges. But now
I had my viking stone to protect me, and with less hesitation than
the occasion warranted I proceeded to climb down the precipice, and
was fortunate enough to reach the bottom without accident.

Lighting a small lantern I had brought, I walked into the cavern,
thinking it strange that I saw no trace of Thora at the entrance,
for I had made noise enough to attract her. Yet I noticed the
flagon that had held the warm tea we had sent down in the morning
lying empty on a flat stone. I continued my way further into the
cavern, watching the play of light upon the huge stalactites that
hung from the roof. At last I came to the stream in which Thora had
so nearly lost her life. It was swollen, and rushed past with great
force. At one point a kind of bridge had been formed by a couple of
wooden planks that had been thrown across. Over this bridge I
crossed, turning my lantern to right and left, anxiously looking
for Thora, whom I also called by name. Beyond the little bridge I
was sensible of a strong spirituous smell, and this became still
stronger as I advanced, until, when I held my light towards a side
chamber of the cave I discerned a large number of small kegs.

At once I thought of what Colin Lothian had said the day before in
Gray'