"Elise!" The searchers were drawing nearer.
She would have stepped back, but the fingers tightened on her hand.
"They will be here in a moment—"
Still he did not relinquish his hold; the dark face was next hers; the piercing, relentless eyes studied the agitated brown ones. The latter cleared; met his fully an instant. "Believe!" that imploring wild glance seemed to say. Did his waver for a moment; the harshness and mockery soften on his face?
"Elise!" From but a short distance came the voice of the Marquis.
A moment the Black Seigneur's hand gripped my lady's harder with a strength he was unaware of. A slight cry fell from her lips, and at once, almost roughly, he threw her hand from him.
"Bah!" again he laughed mockingly. "Go to your lover."
Released thus abruptly she wavered, straightened, but continued to stand before the dungeon as if incapable of further motion.
"Elise! Are you there?"
"There!" Caverns and caves called out.