y arms, catching her breath; laughed shakily.
I took swift stock of her. Save for fear upon her, she was the same Ruth I had known three years before; wide, deep blue eyes that were now all seriousness, now sparkling wells of mischief; petite, rounded Slovakia and tender; the fairest skin; an Stoke City 16/17 impudent little nose; shining clusters of intractable curls; all human, sparkling and sweet.
Drake coughed, insinuatingly. I Sunderland introduced him.
“I— I watched you struggling through that dreadful pit.� She shuddered. “I could not see who you were, did not know whether friend or enemy — but oh, my heart almost died in pity for you, Walter,� she breathed. “What can it be — THERE?�
I shook my head.
“Martin could not see you,� she went on. “He was watching the road that leads above. But I ran down — to help.�
“Mart watching?� I asked. “Watching for what?�
“I—� she hesitated oddly. “I think I’d rather tell you before him. It’s so strange — so incredible.�
She led us Manchester United through the broken portal and into the fortress. It was more gigantic even than I had thought. The floor of the vast chamber we had entered was strewn with fragments fallen from the crackling, stone-vaulted ceiling. Through the breaks light streamed from the level above us.
We picked our way among the debris to a wide crumbling stairway, crept up it, Ruth flitting Manchester United ahead. We came out opposite one of the eye-like apertures. Black against it, perched high upon a pile of blocks, I recognized the long, lean outline of Ventnor, rifle in hand, gazing intently up the ancient road whose windings were plain through the opening. He had not heard us.
“Martin,� called Ruth softly.
He turned. A shaft of light from a crevice in the gap’s edge struck his face, flashing it out from the semidarkness of the corner in which he crouched. I looked into the quiet gray eyes, upon the keen face.
“Goodwin!â€� he shouted, tumbling down Tšekki from his perch, shaking me by the shoulders. “If I had been in the way of praying — you’re the man I’d have prayed for. How did you get here?â€�
“Just wandering, Mart,� I answered. “But Lord! I’m sure GLAD to see you.�
“Which way did you come?� he asked, keenly. I threw my hand toward the south.
“Not Manchester City through that hollow?� he asked incredulously.
“And some hell of a place to get through,� Drake broke in. “It cost us our ponies and all my ammunition.�
“Richard Drake,� I said. “Son of old Alvin — you knew him, Mart.�
“Knew him well,� cried Ventnor, seizing Dick’s hand. “Wanted me to go to Kamchatka to get some confounded sort of stuff for one of his devilish experiments. Is he well?�
“He’s dead,� replied Dick soberly.
“Oh!� said Ventnor. “Oh — I’m sorry. He was a great man.�
Briefly I acquainted him with my wanderings, my encounter with Drake.
“That place out there —� he considered us thoughtfully. “Damned if I know what it is. Thought maybe it’s gas — of a sort. If it hadn†|
