Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-20

nlarkS or an angry Iltan were upon them !;
the Titan of Fire. They told of an elemental
tragedy. swift and cataclysmc in its action
The deep scars in their surfaces. the rough
Crags and pinnaces jutting from them, were
the epic characters in which the monsters
struggle for freedom were written down for
al posterity to study and wonder at
Thus. Leighton did not hesitate to attribute
an lgneous origin to the cave and 1t was
after close examination of the earth and
bble-strewn floor that the smaller tunnel
was chosen as the best of exploration. There
were footprints in both tunnels but in this
one they were more numerous than in the
Other where they had been made. according
!" Raoul. at the time dynamite had been used
IN the excavations Comparing these foot.
prints those in the larger tunnel were eci-
dtntIy from ordinary shoes while in the
smaller they bore the impress of sandals.
Andrews man in the toga Is the one we
want, remarked Leighton. a decision that
added to Mrs. Quayle's agitation and did
not appear to increase the schoolmasters
desire for adventure
The discovery of the imprint of sandaled
feet, however, changed Doctor Mranda's at
utude toward Andrew from banter almost to
admiration.
1T is true, what he say. this leetle fellow"
ne declared in astonishment. He follow
him here the sandals--and he is alone He Is
brave man, this Parmelee"
Raoul remained silent and Herran shrugged
his shoulders skepticaly. After all. 1t was
difficult to believe, on the strength of, mere
footprint that the singular being described
by the schoolmaster actually existed and had
disappeared like some wrath. in the depths
of the cave.
That will be hard path to follow" said
Raoul finally. Il tried it-once."
What did you fnd?'
"Nothng-a deal wall"
Mercy" calculated Mrs. Quayle not
catching his meaning.
There no danger that I could see"
continued Raoul; but there was hard travel
ing, and no result worth the effort"
Did you notice these footprints when you
were here before?"
1T was the footprints that led me on
Il don't see your footprints here. All these
marks are from sandaled feet" retorted
Leighton
The discovery did not attract attention. 1t
seemed of slight significance to the others
but the savant continued his eXamina ton of
the ground with redoubed interest Raoul
also showed astonshment at the fact pointed
out to him, and at first offered expana-
ton. Obviously, a footprint in cave not
subject to effacement by wind or weather
should remain indefinitely. unless destroyed
by man or animal. But, curiously enough.
the sandal prints were not sufficiently numer-
out to stamp out all vestige of the prints
that must have been made by Raoul in his
coming and going through the tunnel-if
Raoul had really ever been in this tunnel. So
Leighton argued, and the conclusion that
Raoul had not been there at all seemed log
ical Had he deliberately deceived them-a
suppositon for which there appeared no mo-
tive--or was he himself mistaken in tho
course lie had pursued in his exploration
some years ago?
Well, there it is" laughed Raoul Your
reasoning is sound. My footprints ought to
be here but they aren't l can't explain it."
1T is not worth while" explained Miranda
impatently. adding not over lucidy they
take them away"
perhaps Mr.. Arthur wore sandals" sug.
gested Andrew, illuminated by a brilliant
iGea.
Whatever happened, Uncle Harold" said
INA who had ventured into the tunnel some
distance ahead of the others. what differ
from our search-from your picnic Mrs
Quayle!"
"Picnic" she shuddered How can we
picnic with dead walls and mysterious foot
prints all around us?'
Good :" exclaimed Miranda in response
to Una's appeal The womens always are
captains--the mems must follow :"
There being no objection 10 this way OF
putting it. Leighton and Raoul gave up the
puzzle of the footprints and set out seriously
to explore the tunnel
They soon found. as Raoul said that trav-
cling here had its difficulties Huge bouIders
that took some little dexterty and sureness
of foot TO get over obstructed the marrow
passage. For Una, who showed surprising
agility, such impediments were not discon
certing: but Mrs Quayle found them not at
all to her liking. Progress with that bewil.
dered lady was necessarily slow and in
some unusually rough places had to be made
by a system of showing from behind and
hauling from above that kept her in a STATE
Of breathless agitation. This was increased
: by imaginary tsrors. chief among which was
n. IS ssess5sff = 81