h stone pavement.
Presently the man released Thorndyke's arm, saying:

"It is narrow here, follow close behind, and do not attempt to go back."

"I shall certainly stick to you," replied the Englishman drily. They
turned a sharp corner suddenly, and were going in another direction when
Thorndyke felt a soft warm hand steal into his from behind, and knew
intuitively that it was Bernardino. The guide was a few feet in advance
of them and she drew Thorndyke's head down and whispered into his ear.

"Be brave--by all that you love--for your life, keep your presence of
mind, and----"

"What was that?" asked the guide, turning suddenly and catching the
Englishman's arm, "I thought I heard whispering."

"I was saying my prayers, that is all," and the Englishman pressed the
hand of the princess, who, pressed close against the wall, was gliding
cautiously away.

"Prayers, humph--you'll need them later, come on!" and he caught the
Englishman's arm and hastily drew him onward. Thorndyke's spirits sank
lower. The air of the narrow under-ground corridor was cold and damp,
and he quivered from head to foot.

Chapter IX.

Branasko paused again in his walk towards the mysterious light.

"It cannot be from the internal fires," said he, "for this light is
white, and the glow of the fires is red."

"Let's turn back," suggested Johnston, "it can do us no good to go down
there; it is only taking us further from the wall."

"I should like to understand it," returned the Alphian thoughtfully;
"and, besides, there can be no more danger there than back among the hot
crevices. We have got to perish anyway, and we might as well spice the
remainder of our lives with whatever adventure we can. Who knows what we
may not discover? There are many things about the land of Alpha that the
inhabitants do not understand."

"I'll follow you anywhere," acquiesced Johnston; "you are right."

They stumbled on over the rocky surface in silence. At times, the roof
of the cavern sank so low that they had to stoop to pass under it, and
again it rose sharply like the roof of a cathedral, and the rays of the
far-away, but ever-increasing light, shone upon glistening stalactites
that hung from the darkness above them like daggers of diamonds set in
ebony.

"It is not so near as I supposed," said the Alphian wearily. "And the
light seemed to me to be shining on a cliff over which water is pouring
in places. Yes, you can see that it is water by the