She shrieked, as well she might.
Four brave men sprung forward to rescue her from the mad Snake Queen; but their hands closed on emptiness!
Coleola and her beautiful captive had eluded them!
[2] Niagara.
CHAPTER XII.
HUNTING THE HUNTED.
Doc Bell, the giant, headed the horrified quartette that sprung after Coleola.
He rushed down the dark corridor as fast as his strong limbs could carry him, and suddenly found himself submerged in a lake of Stygian water.
“Halt!” he shouted to those who had followed at his heels, and the trio paused on the brink of the liquid death as the hunter emerged therefrom.
“Here’s a deuced pretty go, ain’t it?” he cried. “What kind of a cave do you call this, anyhow? Git a light; we’ll s’arch this place. We’re not goin’ to let that gal git clean away from us, not ef old Doc Bell knows himsel’.”