Adventure Magazine Cover, October 1911 — page 133: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Road deferentially lowered lids to recognize it and understand her attitude of a few moments back. ’ “Tt was this one whom she expected com- mands to betray,” he told himself. “He has waked passion in her. Well, even that may have its uses—in time.” ‘“‘T should need a teacher, signor,’’ she said suggestively. “I must learn these things. I have no natural knowledge of them.” The ghost of a smile flickered across his face. “For walking, I recommend Professor Jovan Vaco. For rowing, the eminent scientist, Doctor Uiko,” he said. ‘I my- self might have offered a beginner’s course, but for one thing.” She looked at him bewilderedly. signor? And that is re ‘“‘T myself am returning to Gorac.”’ His smile broadened into a little laugh. He bowed, made formal farewell, and passed back into the night. From his corner Sar- rasco watched in suave interest the whole gamut of emotions, from surprise to fiercest anger, flit across Lucia Gessi’s face. ‘* Ves, CHAPTER XXIII BY THE PATH OF THE TORRENT EL we men were striding warily along the ravine of Slivnitz—two men who car- ried binoculars and examined their sur- roundings with infinite keenness. The river which rushes along at the foot of the stu- pendous crags that prison it sees little of the sun even at the brightest season of the year. It was between three and four o’clock in the afternoon, but already a tinge of twilight shadowed the canyon. The men halted on a rocky platform over- looking the stream. Both of them focussed their glances at a spot immediately opposite them. It was a huge, shrub-covered bluff, torn at its foundations by the Winter rage of the waters, though the scars of their wound- ing were well-nigh covered by the lush herbage which dropped across them. With an a.most simultaneous movement the two men lowered their glasses and looked at each other. And then the taller of the two laughed exultantly. ‘‘The spot, I think, my good Jovan!” he said. “Look at the water-level! Observe the difference above the bluff and below it. The lower channel 1079 is wider and deeper than that above. And yet it has contained a fuller body of water. What is the obvious inference? In Winter this was the point at which an auxiliary supply joins the main stream.”’ Jovan nodded. He turned and looked at the sheer crag above them. ‘“‘I see no signs of a cascade,”’ he said. *“NorI,” said Agnew. “Nor has any one else—if any one else ever had the curiosity to penetrate to this pit in the hills. No, the water came in beneath the high-water level of the river. But now? We shall see. Forward!” He swung himself down from the plat- - form of stone and slid carefully to the river’s edge. Jovan followed. One or two boul- ders in mid-stream gave foothold, but they had to wade waist-high between them be- fore they had crossed. Suddenly Jovan, who was leading, gave an exclamation. ‘‘ Your logic and my in- stincts have not been at fault, Excellency!”’ he cried. Agnew joined him. Jovan lifted a mass of herbage to show behind it a wide but shallow opening in the cliff. The veil of herbage sank over it, touching the water- worn sill of rock. And over this a tiny rivulet flowed into the main stream—a little trickle of water where the signs of a tor- rent’s rage were still unobliterated. * Agnew bowed his great bulk below the entrance and crept forward, supporting him- self with his hands. A yard or two inside the cave mouth the roof rose rapidly. He was able to stand upright. There was a sputter and then the nauseous reek of a phosphorus match. Jovan had lighted a candle. The roof soared away from them into il- limitable darkness. But the walls had drawn nearer, and the stream, it was easy to see, had at times risen a full five fathoms above the floor. An immense body of water had gushed down this tunnel in the hills some time previously—to judge by the . indications, very recently indeed. ‘Something of a trap, if Fate should send a thunderstorm to catch us in it!” suggested Jovan grimly. “We should, at any rate, not die of thirst,” grinned Agnew. ‘But what is Fate but something to be tempted? How many candles have you?” Jovan displayed six. Agnew nodded, took the lighted one into his own hand and C© MICLMOOOKS CO