ts.

I raised her in my arms and placed a sack beneath her head, making a
resting-place for her with my fur coat. Then with my knife I cut away
her dress over the wound.

There was a bullet-hole beneath her breast, stained with dark blood. I
ran down to the rivulet, risking an ambuscade, brought back cold water,
and washed it, and stanched the flow as best I could, making a bandage
and placing it above the wound.

It was a poor effort at first aid, by one who had never seen a
bullet-wound before, and I was distracted with misery and grief, and
yet I remember how steady my hands were and with what precision and
care I performed my task.

I have a dim remembrance of losing my self-control when this was done,
and clasping her in my arms and pressing my lips to her cold cheek and
begging her to live and praying wildly that she should not die. Then I
raised her in my arms and was staggering across the cave toward the
tunnel which led to the rocking stone.

CHAPTER XXII

SURRENDER

I saw the light, the sun's rays bright on the cliff tops. Once in the
tunnel beyond that I could keep my pursuers at bay with my revolver,
even if I had to fight every inch of my way to freedom.

And then, just as I approached the barricade of earth-filled bags,
Leroux and the man Raoul emerged from the tunnel's mouth and ran toward
me.

If I had been alone and unencumbered, I believe I could have spurted
across the open and won free. But with Jacqueline in my arms it was
impossible.

I stopped behind the barricade.

Even so I was fortunate, for had they gained the cave before I did they
would have had me at their mercy like a rat trapped in a hole.

They saw me and drew back hastily within the tunnel's mouth. I was
panting with the weight of my unconscious burden, and I did not know
what to do. My mind was filled with rage against my fate, and I
shouted curses at them and strode up and down, behind the bags.

Presently I saw something white fluttering from the tunnel. It was a
white handkerchief upon a stick of wood, and slowly and gingerly Raoul
emerged into the open.

At that instant I fired. The bullet whipped past his face, and with an
oath he dropped the stick and handkerchief too, and scuttled back to
shelter.

Then Leroux's voice hailed me from the tunnel.

"Hewlett!" he called, and there was no trace of mockery in his tones
now, "will you come out and talk with me? Will you meet me in the
open, if you