The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-15

i
feeling their way along the musty
tunnel, distinctly fresher current
of air came to them from beyond
Bob struck one Of the precious
matches and peered ahead.
Were coming out of this" he
told the girl. II can see the open
ing a little farther on" He start
ed forward again.
Suddenly he stopped, drawing her
close to him, and whispered, "A
light just saw 1t. You'd better
stay here while I do some scouting.
No use telling the world where we
are. II they're after us, let's let EN-
worry a while"
Betty agreed and Bob crept
away. She waited a minute,
straining her eyes into the dark
ness, then decided that anything
would be better than being trap
ped in this sitting place and rapid
ly followed him, a feeling of panic
gripping her. Now she could hear
footsteps. The next minute she COL
lided with Bob's heels.
II = had to come on" she
breathed, as he twisted around
His fingers on her lips was his
only response, and Betty realized
that they had come to an opening
into large room of some sort,
room that could be glimpsed family
by the light from single candle
above their heads. A man was
kneeling on the floor of the room,
his hands moving rapidly as though
he were uncovering something. They
watched curiously. 1t was impos-
sible to tell who the man was, but
Bob's mind held no doubt on that
! score.
Pearl John de Forest held the
answer to the riddle of the place,
and Bob still had a lengthy score
to settle with that young man.
Hardly daring to breath, Bob and
Betty watched the dim figure
carefully brushing the dirt away.
Suddenly their attention was
caught by sound from the OPP
posite SIDE Someone else was
coming into the room. Closer and
closer stealthy footsteps crept past
the tunnel, but the man on the
floor was too engrossed in what
he was doing to notice.
Betty gave a little gasp as the
second man ten3ed, then sprang
like mountain lion on its prey.
The next instant everything was
confusion. A Kaleidoscope Whirl
of thrashing arms and legs flashed
before the girls restricted view.
Clouds of dust rose from the
loose dirt and Betty smothered
sneeze, as Bob drew back, whis-
pering close to her ear, I'm going
out there to help lick de Forest.
If we can get him down, we'll
get out. Stay here till I come
back. Here are the matches"
Before she could reply, he thrust
them into her hand, pulled himself
from the tunnel and swayed to his
feet. Betty edged up into his place
so that she could see what was go
ing on. Was it the Indian guard who
was fighting with de Forest on the
floor? Over and over they twisted
and rolled first one on top, then the
other. The candle light tn " weird.
dancing shadows on the scene as
the mems arms rose and fell in
smashing blows. 1t was all grim and
deadly, a fight to the death.
Betty turned away with shud-
der. 1t was primitive, brutal. She
had never supposed men could
fight with such animal ferocity.
Then, at movement from Bob,
she leaned forward again to see
what was happening. Both the
fighters we're on their feet now,
as though an umpire had inter-
vened, and were circling round
and round, waiting for an OPEN
ing. The Indian was facing her,
but the other mans back was to-
ward her AS she watched the
candle was knocked from its
place on a shelf on one wall, and
went out.
The darkness that gripped the
place made the mad struggle all
the more horrible, and Bob, with
his injured leg, was out there, too.
At any minute they might kill
him. Betty thought wildly that
she must do something. What
would anything in the world mat
ter if he should be -! She
crawled out of the hole and, feel
ing her way along the wall, start
etd toward the place where she
had seen the candle drop. If she
| could get it lighted at least she