“Oh!” she gasped, stretching out a hand. “You--we--can't--”
He licked his lips and tried to smile, but failed.
“Don't--don't be afraid, little girl!” he stammered. “This can't hold us, possibly. The chain--I broke it!”
“Yes, but the bar, Allan--the bar! How did you leave the bar?”
“Raised!”
The one word seemed to seal their doom. A shudder passed through Beatrice.
“So then,” she choked, “some air-current swung the door shut--and the bar--fell--”
A sudden rage possessed the engineer.
“Damn that infernal staple!” he gritted, and as he spoke the ax swung into air.
“Crash!”