ut, in any case, his position was terrible. How had he got there? Was
this also the work of Thomas? Tears were streaming from her eyes as she
reached the cliff, and ran along the path to the entrance of the
Wilderness. The sun had set, but the sky was still glowing, tinting with
its warm colours the long, level clouds. The foreign vessel had
disappeared, and as she flew along the cliff-path, she glanced hastily
towards the spot where she had last seen it. Suddenly the heavy boom of
a gun rent the air. Frightened at the sound, she paused a moment, and
saw the white smoke curling slowly away into the evening haze, as the
dark hull of a gunboat came into sight rounding the rocky promontory.

There was no time, however, to think what it all meant. It was wrong to
have delayed even for an instant. Alan must be rescued before he went
mad with the horrors of that shaft--that dreadful darkness! Through the
Wilderness she ran at the top of her speed, and she was flying across
the lawn when she almost ran into Miss Leigh by a sudden encounter round
the shrubbery walk.

'Where have you been?' cried the governess, angry and excited at the
absence of her pupil from the schoolroom tea, and still more at her
reckless manner of running. 'You might have hurt me very seriously,
Marjorie. How dare you----

But Marjorie, with a wave of her hand, had gone. There was no time for
reproaches; they could very well keep for a more convenient season.
Colonel De Bohun was in his dressing-room, preparing for dinner, when
she rushed in without even a preliminary knock, and poured out her story
with an urgent plea for haste. He quickly resumed his coat, and Marjorie
had the satisfaction of seeing him take the work of rescue in hand at
once. A couple of grooms were soon following them across the lawn,
Marjorie leading, and as they went Miss Leigh wondered what new mischief
the children had been up to.

The rescue party had not gone far before they met Estelle's nurse
looking anxious and 'flustered.' No one could reply to her question
concerning the little girl, but Colonel De Bohun sent her on to Miss
Leigh. It was possible the child might have remained in the schoolroom,
and had tea with Georgie. Marjorie knew better. The Colonel wondered at
her sober face and her silence. He had no suspicion how wrong things
were.

The Smuggler's Hole and the steps to the caves were a revelation to him.
He looked grave when he found the entrance had been discov