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So it was that within the hour Lleu stood with me and Cado and our workmen in the hidden place under the earth, dark eyes ablaze with torchlight and excite in this secret beauty; laughed with real joy, though I knoas afraid to be so far froered over each painting, forcing hiaze from one to the next "This artistry, in such a place!" he exulted "I couldn’t have drea if I hadn’t seen it"

But beneath our talk and laughter there ca pebbles They skittered down the curved wall across the flank of the painted deer, and cafan called froround settles?"

I looked with question at Cado, and he nodded Into our sudden stillness a larger eddy of earth trickled down the rock wall "Take the prince outside," Cado said calh the narrow passage with barely an effort I went after him, and called back to the others in a low voice, "Follow at once, as close as you can" I picked up a lantern and put a hand on Lleu’s shoulder to guide hi closed in behind us

Tegfan croaked, "Go," and the three of us ran up the tunnel We could hear, could always hear at our back the inner groaning of the disturbed hillside Stones fallen fro struck at our heels We were halfway to the outer cavern when the floor itself buckled, and Tegfan fell I turned to give a hand to him, and shouted at Lleu, "Go on!" But there was no time "Shield your head!" I cried then, and struck Lleu between the shoulders with such force that he was shoved stu perhaps ten steps farther up the tunnel Off-balance, I too fell sprawling forward; the lantern hit the floor and flickered out Then I could find neither strength nor courage to pickfell in aboutand crashing stopped

When all I could hear was et up, but a fallen beam held me pinned to the floor by one foot and the opposite wrist I moved my free arm a scant few inches and found, by chance, the lantern Lleu’s voice came unsteadily out of the dark: "Medraut?" kraucan

I answered quietly, "Lleu? I still have the lantern: Coht it"

I stretched my arm to him; he found , afraid to stand He whispered, "Your hands are like ice"

"Light the lantern," I returned

He did, revealing as left of the shaft Behind fan lay senseless, buried up to his waist Behind us both, the fallen earth and rock sloped upward to the tunnel’s roof to fill the shaft beyond There was no sign of Cado or the five others who had been with him

"You’re not hurt?" I said to Lleu He shook his head The lantern quaked in his hand, so he set it on the floor

I stretched fan, but could not reach him "See if--," I said to Lleu, then barked out, "No!" as he began to cliht Lie down and stretch up the slope" He obeyed nufan’s limp wrists "Don’t use your thuht"

"Hold the lantern up there: can you see any sign of the rest?"

"There’s nothing, sir," Lleu whispered

"Help me" I could not sit up, trapped as I was; propped aardly on an elbow, alled to shift the beam that held me prisoner But even when Lleu pulled with me we could not o for help Don’t run; we may not have much air If there is another tremor, don’t come back Did you an "Are you hurt?"

I shook fan must be And the rest of us, Cado--" I bit the words off, scarcely able to speak aloud what I was thinking "Six asped, incredulous "Six men, and I responsible!"

Lleu bent, impulsively, to drop a quick kiss on my forehead before he took the lantern and started up the tunnel I watched hi more distant When he turned the corner there was only a faint blooainst the far wall: and after that nothing but blackness, and I alone

I can hardly bear to tell of this

I thought IBut soon, soon, four men frofan--he was senseless through all our cautious work to free his as best I could before we carried hiain We abandoned the tools, for it took all four fan The tunnel shuddered and rattled as we half ran, half crawled upward, dodging showers of clay and dust It was agony to put weight on the foot that had been trapped; I dragged myself behind the others, frantic lest I should cause their destruction as well

The ground and ceiling beyond the cut doorway to thefor us there They had not dared to venture beyond the stone lintels and oak beams that supported the entrance, and sent up a sober cheer of thanks as we burst gasping into theirso that I could not hold kuld upthe horn of ale sofan’s legs?" Another asked, "Will we be able to search for the others that ith you?"

For answer--it was an answer--came a low rumble and clatter from deep in the tunnel, and the lower shaft collapsed It sealed itself froered to consuht, buried alive six ed into the devouring darkness