It was the same sound we had heard twice before a sound as of a great, deep-toned bell ringing sonorously throughout the passages and caverns with a roar that was deafening. I do not know what we expected to find, and the Lord knows what we intended to do after we found it. The echoes of the bell were still floating from wall to wall as we went rapidly forward. "It came from the left," said Harry but I disagreed with him and was so sure of myself that we started off to the right. Her profile was toward us it could not have been her eyes or any expression of her face but there was a tenseness about her pose, a stiffening of the muscles of her body, an air of lofty scorn and supreme triumph coming somehow from every line of her motionless figure, that flashed certainty into my brain. It was something indefinable in Desiree's attitude that told me the truth-what, I cannot tell. Death we did not fear, even for Desiree but we remembered the horror of our own experience on the top of that column, and shuddered as we ran. A prayer was on my lips that we might not be too late Harry's lips were compressed together tightly as a vise. We rushed forward side by side, guessing at our way, seeking the entrance to the tunnel that led to the foot of the column. And there before us was the entrance to the tunnel. The next instant we were dashing headlong down the steps, avoiding a fall by I know not what miracle. How my heart leaped then Harry uttered a hoarse cry of exultation. It was necessary to half encircle the cavern, and the passages were so often crossed by other passages that many times we had to guess at the proper road. We followed in the direction they had taken, turning to the right.Īs I have said, we had entered the great cavern at a point almost directly opposite the alcove, and therefore at a distance from the entrance we sought. We waited a while longer, then as no more appeared we started forward and soon had reached the corridor down which they had passed. On the throne was seated the king, surrounded by guards and attendants. We saw it from a different viewpoint than before the alcove which held the golden throne was far off to our left, nearly half-way round the vast circumference. Finally they, too, ceased to appear the corridor was deserted. Their number swelled to a continuous stream, which in turn gradually became thinner and thinner until only a few stragglers were seen trotting behind. There we stood, motionless and scarcely breathing, while group after group of the savages passed in the corridor ahead. Harry opened his lips to speak, but I took the words from his mouth seconds were precious. Back down the passage we ran, halting at its end. "Follow me," I whispered and he must have read the force of my knowledge in my eyes, for he obeyed without a word. For a moment I hesitated, asking myself for what purpose we hastened on thus into the very arms of our enemies then, propelled by instinct or premonition-I know not what-I took a firmer grasp on my spear and followed Harry without word, throwing caution to the winds. There was no longer any doubt of it: we were on our way to the great cavern.
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