to see what has become of them."

Aunt Tabby and Joshua tried to stop her, but she broke away from
them and went down the ladder. Rusty leaped down after her.

Joshua tried to follow, but Aunt Tabby held him back. He would
have gone, too, if she had not managed to strike the spring and
shut the door, closing up the passageway.

Joshua got angry then. "You are making a coward of me," he cried,
beating on the panel with the butt of his gun and struggling to
open it.

He seemed unable to fathom the secret.

Elaine was now making her way as rapidly as she could through the
tunnel, with Rusty beside her.

. . . . . . .

It was just as Long Sin had raised his knife that the sound of her
footsteps alarmed him.

He paused and leaped to his feet.

There was no time for either to retreat. He started toward Elaine,
and seized her roughly.

Back and forth over the rocky floor they struggled. As they
fought,--she with frantic strength, he craftily,--he backed her