Should he go into the mine to search for her? Or should he hurry back for help—not because of the danger to himself, but because he only could guide aright the search for Anne; and to tell about the deserter.
As he stood there, trying to decide what was best to do, he heard—he thought he heard—a faint cry. Anne? Was it Anne? Was she there, in terror, in danger? He forgot his sober second thoughts about going back for help. Anne there in need! He must go to her.
He scrambled down the ladder and stumbled along the tunnel to the main room, not daring to light his candle. There was no glimmer in the darkness before him, and now he heard no sound; perhaps he had never heard anything, had just imagined he had. He lighted his candle and examined the ground, but he could not distinguish footprints, Anne’s or others. Was he wasting precious time here, when he ought to be on the way home to give the alarm?
Anyway, he would go on to the second tunnel.
There, about the height of his head, was something hanging on one of the rough timbers that supported the roofing. It was a piece of blue ribbon, the gay bow that he had seen on Anne’s hair. He sprang forward, in certainty and terror now, going straight to the pit at the end of the tunnel. He stumbled against something and almost fell; it was the ladder that some one had pulled out of the pit. He pushed it to the edge, slid it in, and scrambled down.
As he reached the bottom, his arm was clutched, so suddenly that his hand was jerked upward and his candle was extinguished. For a second he was frozen with terror, awaiting he knew not what—a pistol at his brow, a knife at his throat.
And then to him, expecting any terrible thing, came a dear, familiar voice. “Oh, Dick! Dick!� gasped Anne. “I was so scared! I didn’t dare look or move! And when I saw it was you—— Oh! I thought no one would ever come. I thought they were coming back to kill me!�
“They? Who?�
“I don’t know. They threw a hat over my face from behind and blindfolded me. Then they put me here.�
“Let’s get away, quick as we can,� said Dick. “I saw two men here this afternoon. That’s why I went back.�