按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ant cannon。
I sprang toward Harry with a cry of alarm； and had crossed about to the middle of the passage； when a deafening roar smote my ear； and the entire wall of the cavern appeared to be failing in upon us。 At the same time the ground seemed to sink directly away beneath my feet with an easy； rocking motion as of a wave of the ocean。 Then I felt myself plunging downward with a velocity that stunned my senses and took away my breath； and then all was confusion and chaos…and oblivion。
When I awoke I was lying flat on my back； and Harry was kneeling at my side。 I opened my eyes； and felt that it would be impossible to make a greater exertion。
〃Paul！〃 cried Harry。 〃Speak to me！ Not you； too…I shall go mad！〃
He told me afterward that I had lain unconscious for many hours； but that appeared to be all that he knew。 How far we had fallen； or how he had found me； or how he himself had escaped being crushed to pieces by the falling rock； he was unable to say； and I concluded that he； too； had been rendered unconscious by the fall； and for some time dazed and bewildered by the shock。
Well！ We were alive…that was all。
For we were weak and faint from hunger and fatigue； and one mass of bruises and blisters from head to foot。 And we had had no water for something like twenty…four hours。 Heaven only knows where we found the energy to rise and go in search of it； it is incredible that any creatures in such a pitiable and miserable condition as we were could have been propelled by hope； unless it is indeed immortal。
Half walking； half crawling； we went forward。
The place where we had found ourselves was a jumbled mass of boulders and broken rock； but we soon discovered a passage； level and straight as any tunnel built by man。
Down this we made our way。 Every few feet we stopped to rest。
Neither of us spoke a word。 I really had no sense of any purpose in our progress； I crept on exactly as some animals； wounded to death； move on and on until there is no longer strength for another step； when they lie down for the final breath。
We saw no water nor promise of any； nothing save the long stretch of dim vista ahead and the grim； black walls on either side。 That； I think； for hours； it seemed to me then for years。
I dragged one leg after the other with infinite effort and pain； Harry was ahead； and sometimes； glancing back over his shoulder to find me at some distance behind； he would turn over and lie on his back till I approached。 Then again to his knees and again forward。 Neither of us spoke。
Suddenly； at a great distance down the passage； much further than I had been able to see before； I saw what appeared to be a white wall extending directly across our path。
I called to Harry and pointed it out to him。 He nodded vaguely； as though in wonder that I should have troubled him about so slight an object of interest； and crawled on。
But the white wall became whiter still； and soon I saw that it was not a wall。 A wild hope surged through me； I felt the blood mount dizzily to my head； and I stilled the clamor that beat at my temples by an extreme effort of the will。 〃It can't be；〃 I said to myself aloud； over and over； 〃it can't be； it can't be。〃
Harry turned； and his face was as white as when he had knelt by the body of Desiree； and his eye was wild。
〃You fool；〃 he roared； 〃it is！〃
We went faster then。 Another hundred yards； and the thing was certain； there it was before us。 We scrambled to our feet and tried to run； I reeled and fell； then picked myself up again and followed Harry； who had not even halted as I had fallen。 The mouth of the passage was now but a few feet away； I reached Harry's side； blinking and stunned with amazement and the incredible wonder of it。
I tried to shout； to cry aloud to the heavens； but a great lump in my throat choked me and my head was singing dizzily。
Harry； at my side； was crying like a child； with great tears streaming down his face； as together we staggered forth from the mouth of the passage into the bright and dazzling sunshine of the Andes。
Chapter XXIV。
CONCLUSION。
Never； I believe； were misery and joy so curiously mingled in the human breast as when Harry and I stood…barely able to stand…gazing speechlessly at the world that had so long been hidden from us。
We had found the light； but had lost Desiree。 We were alive； but so near to death that our first breath of the mountain air was like to be our last。
The details of our painful journey down the mountain； over the rocks and crags； and through rushing torrents that more than once swept us from our feet； cannot be written； for I do not know them。
The memory of the thing is but an indistinct nightmare of suffering。 But the blind luck that seemed to have fallen over our shoulders as a protecting mantle at the death of Desiree stayed with us； and after endless hours of incredible toil and labor； we came to a narrow pass leading at right angles to our course。
Night was ready to fall over the bleak and barren mountain as we entered it。 Darkness had long since overtaken us； when we saw at a distance a large clearing； in the middle of which lights shone from the windows of a large house whose dim and shadowy outline appeared to us surrounded by a halo of peace。
But we were nearly forced to fight for it。 The proprietor of the hacienda himself answered our none too gentle knock at the door； and he had no sooner caught sight of us than he let out a yell as though he had seen the devil in person； and slammed the door violently in our faces。 Indeed； we were hardly recognizable as men。
Naked； black； bruised； and bleeding； covered with hair on our faces and parts of our bodies…mine； of recent growth； stubby and stiff…our appearance would have justified almost any suspicion。
But we hammered again on the door； and I set forth our pedigree and plight in as few words as possible。 Reassured； perhaps； by my excellent Spanish…which could not； of course； be the tongue of the devil…and convinced by our pitiable condition of our inability to do him any harm； he at length reopened the door and gave us admittance。
When we had succeeded in allaying his suspicions concerning our identity…though I was careful not to alarm his superstitions by mentioning the cave of the devil； which； I thought； was probably well known to him…he lost no time in displaying his humanity。
Calling in some hombres from the rear of the hacienda； he gave them ample instructions； with medicine and food； and an hour later Harry and I were lying side by side in his own bed…a rude affair； but infinitely better than granite…refreshed； bandaged； and as fortable as their kindly ministrations could make us。
The old Spaniard was a direct descendant of the good Samaritan …despite the slight difference in nationality。 For many weeks he nursed us and fed us and coaxed back the spark of life in our exhausted and wounded bodies。
Our last ounce of strength seemed to have been used up in our desperate struggle down the side of the mountain； for many days we lay on our backs absolutely unable to move a muscle and barely conscious of life。
But the spark revived and fluttered。 The day came when we could hobble； with his assistance； to the door of the hacienda and sit for hours in the invigorating sunshine； and thenceforward our convalescence proceeded rapidly。 Color came to our cheeks and light to our eyes； and one sunny afternoon it was decided that we should set out for Cerro de Pasco on the following day。
Harry proposed a postponement of our departure for two days； saying that he wished to make an excursion up the mountain。 I understood him at once。
〃It would be useless；〃 I declared。 〃You would find nothing。〃
〃But she was with us when we fell；〃 he persisted； not bothering to pretend that he did not understand me。 〃She came…it must be near where we landed。〃
〃That isn't it；〃 I explained。 〃Have you forgotten that we have been here for over a month？ You would find nothing。〃 As he grasped my thought his face went white and he was silent。 So on the following morning we departed。
Our host furnished us with food； clothing； mules； and an arriero； not to mention a sorrowful farewell and a hearty blessing。 From the door of the hacienda he waved his sombrero as we disappeared around a bend in the mountain…pass； we had； perhaps； been a wele interruption in the monotony of his lonely existence。
We were led upward for many miles until we found ourselves again in the region of perpetual snow。 There we set our faces to the south。 From the arriero we tried to learn how far we then were from the cave of the devil； but to our surprise were informed that he had never heard of the thing。
We could see that the question made him more than a little suspicious of us； often； when he thought himself unobserved； I caught him eyeing us askance with something nearly approaching terror。
We journeyed southward for eleven days； on the morning of the twelfth we saw below us our goal。 Six hours later we had entered the same street of Cerro de Pasco through which we had passed formerly with light hearts； and the heart which had been gayest of all we had left behind us； stilled forever； somewhere beneath the mountain of stone which she had h