felt,
and this gave Scarlett some little hope, such as was badly needed at
this crucial time. But what was he to do? How could he help him? For
aught he could tell, they must have been there many hours, and once more
a terrible chill ran through the youth, as the thought struck him that
his father might be bleeding to death.

And what could he do? He was in utter darkness, and could not tell
where the wounds might be.

There was comfort once more in the fresh thought which came, suggested
by his experience in the skirmishes in which he had been engaged, and by
his duties in tending the wounded.

For he recalled how, in the majority of cases, unless some important
vessel was divided, Nature interposed as the great surgeon for the
preservation of her children's lives, causing the veins to chill and
contract, and the bleeding to cease; and as Scarlett Markham knelt
beside his father, and pressed his lips to the icy brow, he prayed that
it might be so now, and that his life might be spared.

"Now, what is to be done?" he said to himself, half rising, as if the
act he had done had given him refreshment and a new access of thought.

He stood for a few moments thinking, and then, feeling his way about the
place, he satisfied himself where the openings out of the little vault
lay, his doubt as to which led to the lake being solved by the steps
down to where it was formerly water, but which on testing he now found
to be firm floor, and by the little heap of rusty arms over which he
nearly fell as he crept about.

His first need was light and help for his father, and to obtain these he
felt that perhaps it would be best to surrender.

With this aim in view, he made his way back along the passage, kicking
against and recovering his sword, and up the flight of narrow stone
steps, becoming conscious that the air was growing warmer as he
proceeded, and finally that the walls were hot, while straight before
him, as he reached the top and tried to penetrate into the chamber,
there was a confused pile of heavy stones leaning towards him, as if
some party wall or portion of the roof had fallen in that direction, and
blocked the way.

He could not stay to investigate, the heat was too great; but the
freedom with which he breathed taught him that the ruins had not
completely stopped all the chamber, for a steady current of air was
flowing past him from below.

He felt instinctively that the fire must have done its work, and