The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-01-07
CHATTER XVII

Constable rested and reflected in the
cistern. 1t did not occur to him, save in
the most iimsy and passing way, to doubt
| the efficacy of the distance in the case OF
Lara She was safe, eight miles at sea,
and watched over BY Macready, whom be
| had learned thoroughly to trust Here
was gladness immovable. Second, for the
present and to all intents, his own life
mad been spared. This was not SO impor-
| tant in itself. but was exceedingly vital
in consideration Of the third point-that
size loved him, and had said so. His first
worry was that Lara might be thinking
him dead.
The aspect Of COnstable's mind being
touched upon, il may be well to outline
the state of affairs as a third party
would see it, In the first place, there
vas a woman in his arms woman whom
the fire had touched and in whom con
sciousnesS was not the mother of the
worlds matchless girl Then ne was sit
ting upon a Shiny stone in a subterranean
cell, the floor Of which was covered with
six inches of almost scalding water, aud
the vault filed with steam. The volcanic
discharge, shOwering down through tie
mouth of the pit, had heated the water
and released the yapor. An earthquake
years before had loosened the stone walls
Of the cavern, and with every shudder of
TIE earth, under the wrath Of Pelee, the
masonry lining the cistern tottered. Then,
his hand had been torn during the descent
OF the chain, and the terrific heat in the
well livened his burns to exquisite pain
fulness. But. as has been stated, these
we're mere cuticle disorders, and the heart
Of the man sang again and again its tune
full story.
Pelee was giving vent TO the after
pangs Torrents of rain were descend
ing. The man in the cistern had lost
track of time. Though replenished with
rain, the water was still too hot to step
in; therefore, he could not change his
position and relieve the tension of his
arms. Still. he felt that he owed an as
tonishing debt to the old cistern. No sud
den impulse had brought him there Since
he had discovered the place in his nights |
vigil, and examined il more closely the |
following day, the idea had become fixed |
in his mind that it might be used at the |
last minute.
his arms The first gripping realization /
took his mind. He waited in embarrass-
ment for her to speak. Would the fact |
that he had saved her life stand as e1-
tenuation for his rough treatment? Con-
stable was by no means sure that he was /
not about to hear her estimate of him
on the old footing, with the rage of a
woman added-the whole a
finished document delivered with Mrs.
art and force But she did
not yet awake.
His brain worked rapidly now. She
had lain upon his shoulder during the de-
scent. Livid dust had fallen through the
oriice His burns were slight.
His eyes strained into her face, but the
,istern was dark, dark The fire had
ouched her hair-he knew that Her
,are arm brushed his cheek, snd his whole
,eing crawled with fear 1t
eened that hours elapsed Where had
Uncle joey been at the last? Did Pelee
olerate any favorites? Breen, Soronia,
oere Rabeaut, Mondet, the ships in the
nner harbor, the thirty thousand of Saint
'ierre-were they all wrecked in the mills !
4 the world? But the Madame
vas eight miles ct sea Pelee had waited
or the woman. His heart Of hearts held
his JOY.
The breath of life was returning to his
urden. She sighed once more, and then.
ull pityingly, he felt her vince with the
ain which consciousness brought. '
What is this dripping darkness" be 8
card at last The words were slowly
ttered, and the tones vague. In
great dark room somewhere, in a past
fe, perhaps, Constable had heard such !,
voice from some one lying in the shad-
VS..
I'VE are in the old cistern-you and 1,
eter Constable" His tones became glad s
5 be added, But your daughter is safe
I sea ="
did you forget something, or did Lara
md you for her parasol?" d
Il came for you-came to tell you how u
uch we needed you-how much we fear
! for your life, and to ask you once
ORE Ii
-an-ext9aordinary - YOUTH a
lie murmured. WAS -there-eyer-su
darkness -this?"
The cavern was dark, but not utterly Is