Little by little, the waters of the lake ran slowly, and more slowly, in the path set them by the whorl. At last, there was scarcely a ripple to mark the spot where the cauldron had seethed hottest. Once again, there was nothing to see save the light tossing of the waves, dancing to the rhythm of the breeze toward the kisses of the sun. Margaret and May set their faces once more toward the cavern.
They were garrulous over the mystery—hardly concerned with the treasure-quest, for the moment. But the new interest had not lessened the desire of their hearts, and they quickened their steps, each at thought of the man she loved, now so near at hand. So they came soon to the cliff in the ravine, where was the entrance to the cave. Margaret had brought her torch, which Jake had recharged for her the night before from his own supplies. She pressed the button, pushed aside the concealing branches, and made her way within the opening, followed closely by May, who experienced a pleasurable excitement as she thus penetrated into the earth. The two came duly to the chamber, which they crossed to where the black openings into the tunnels showed. Now, May’s heart beat faster, as she found herself deep in this grim abode of darkness, where the limited radiance of the torch served but to make more grotesquely menacing the shadowy unknown on every side. Yet, she would not confess the fear that clutched at her—only, held fast to Margaret’s arm, and chatted with unusual volubility, while a little quaver crept in her voice. They entered the passage on the right, which Margaret had traversed with Saxe, and went forward with what speed they might over the rocks that cumbered the floor. They had descended for some distance, but had not yet reached the rift that led across into the other tunnel, when Margaret halted abruptly, with a gasp of amazement.
“It’s—it’s water!” she cried, dumfounded. She stood staring with dilated eyes, her lips parted, stupefied with astonishment, pointing with her free hand to the space before her, where the glow of the torch shone on a softly rippling level of water, which filled the tunnel like the contents of a well seen down the slope.
May, who had held her eyes fixed on the floor to save herself from stumbling, looked forward at the exclamation, and perceived the water. But the sight was not especially impressive to her. She supposed that here was merely a well in the path. She did not understand her friend’s dismay.
“What is it?” she asked, with no great interest. She wondered in which direction they would turn to pass by the pool.
Margaret, however, was thinking with desperate energy. Her mind was naturally keen, and it had enjoyed advantages of careful training. She began, at last, to suspect something as to the true significance of the catastrophe in the lake, which hitherto had baffled comprehension. The presence of water in the cavern, where before had been no water, stunned her at first; then, as she apprehended vaguely the meaning of it, it appalled. There where the tunnel was steep, the water filled it completely. She went forward until the water was at her very feet, and stared down at it, her face colorless, her pulse bounding wildly, in the grip of cold horror. Finally, she began stammering affrightedly:
“The lake—the water out there—it’s broken into the cavern—they’re drowned—drowned—Saxe!” Her voice rose to a wail on the last word.
Margaret’s terror, rather than her words, had filled the other girl with dismay at the first. But “drowned” gave form to fear. May, in turn, was stricken with horror.
“Drowned?” she repeated, in a whisper. “Roy?” Her memory went back to the scene she had just witnessed on the lake. The utterance of Margaret, broken, uncomprehended, became hideously plain. It meant that the lake had somehow entered this cavern, which ran beneath the waters. In that case, the men down within the earth there must have been overwhelmed by the in-pouring flood. But, even as conviction came, her spirit refused credence to the truth. She cried aloud in revolt:
“No, no! No, I tell you! They are safe—safe!”