herald the coming of my executioner. So real were the imaginings
of my overwrought brain that I broke into a cold sweat in absolute
conviction that some beast was close before me; yet the hours
dragged, and no sound broke the grave-like stillness of the cavern.

During that period of eternity many events of my life passed before
my mental vision, a vast parade of friends and occurrences which
would be blotted out forever on the morrow. I cursed myself for
the foolish act which had taken me from the search-party that so
depended upon me, and I wondered what progress, if any, they had
made. Were they still beyond the barrier cliffs, awaiting my return?
Or had they found a way into Caspak? I felt that the latter would
be the truth, for the party was not made up of men easily turned
from a purpose. Quite probable it was that they were already
searching for me; but that they would ever find a trace of me
I doubted. Long since, had I come to the conclusion that it was
beyond human prowess to circle the shores of the inland sea of Caspak
in the face of the myriad menaces which lurked in every shadow by
day and by night. Long since, had I given up any hope of reaching
the point where I had made my entry into the country, and so I was
now equally convinced that our entire expedition had been worse
than futile before ever it was conceived, since Bowen J. Tyler
and his wife could not by any possibility have survived during all
these long months; no more could Bradley and his party of seamen
be yet in existence. If the superior force and equipment of my
party enabled them to circle the north end of the sea, they might
some day come upon the broken wreck of my plane hanging in the
great tree to the south; but long before that, my bones would be
added to the litter upon the floor of this mighty cavern.