The light was dim; he made out that the
distant mouth of the tunnel was obscured by a tangle of brush and scrub
trees.
"Another underground garden?" he wondered. "Or the outside world?"
He filled his lungs with the air flowing upward. He fancied that it
had a fresher, sweeter smell, that there was the wholesomeness of
sunlight in it.
"It would be a joke," was his quick thought, "if there were a way out
for us here while Rios watches the canon above!"
It was then that there came to him, faint from far above, Betty's
scream. He whirled and ran. Again he heard her screams, echoing
wildly. As he stumbled on there came to him the muffled sound of a
rifle-shot.
CHAPTER XXI
HOW ONE RETURNS UNWILLINGLY WHITHER HE
WOULD WILLINGLY ENTER BY ANOTHER DOOR
Again and again as he ran Kendric shouted to Betty that he was coming.
Then at last, after an agony of fear and silence, he heard her call in
answer. He stumbled but ran on. When he came where he could see the
square of light marking the hole which led to the level where she was,
he caught his first glimpse of Betty. She was standing by the opening,
tense to the finger tips that were tight about the rifle. He sped up
the steps and to her side. And he was treated to the sight of Ruiz
Rios, lying white-faced on the floor, a hand at his shoulder and that
hand dyed red. Beside him, where it had fallen, was his revolver.
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