Then Artena whirled upon the guards, who tried to seize her after she had crossed the threshold of her prison!
“Catch her!” yelled Jack, as he recovered his equilibrium, and leaped forward, revolver in hand.
But the guards had anticipated his commands, and were pursuing the flying woman in the gloom, and over the loose rocks that strewed the floor of the passage.
By and by the three guards returned—empty-handed.
“Where’s Artena?” asked the chief, angrily.
“The spirits of Wonemoc land took her off.”
Captain Jack’s lips curled with a contemptuous sneer.
“Dogs that will let a woman outrun them are not fit to live!” he cried, and the next instant one of the guards dropped, with a bullet in his brain.
The others looked to their weapons; but the murderer was too quick for them; one fell before he could draw his weapon, the other with the pistol in his hand.
“Thus I deal with dogs!” cried Jack, looking down upon his victims. “The warriors shall hear that they freed Artena, and that I discovering their treason, shot them. The traitors even will applaud me; the act will help make us truer brothers.”