"Fiends take you!" snarled Ridgeway. "Why did you ever cross my path, and tempt me to such a death with your money? For the love of Heaven, light another match!"
"I have but three more."
"Can't you find a brand from the fire? Let's have some light! We had torches. Where are they?"
"They were extinguished by the rush of air when the slide took place. I've tried to find them, but failed. I'll try again."
"I'm going mad—mad!" groaned Ridgeway.
Del Norte began to search for the extinguished torches. After a time, during which his companion wept, prayed, and cursed by turns, he discovered one of them.
Then he carefully struck one of his matches. The extinguished torch was a piece of resinous pine, and it burned up quickly, giving a flaring light and sending up a wavering stream of black smoke.
By the light the two men gazed into each other's ghastly faces. Their eyes were distended with horror. Their mouths were dry and their lips drawn back from their gleaming teeth. They looked like beasts.
"Curse you, Porfias del Norte!" snarled Ridgeway. "It was you who brought me to this!"
"Bah! It was your greed for the money I paid you that brought you here."