sound which made Trant start for a moment, and caused Elsie's heart to leap.
"Pompo is a little earlier than I expected," said Trant quietly, and went on with his preparations.
The rock door had been moved by an outside lever. This was the sound Elsie heard, and which Trant had taken for granted was made by the half-castes. But it was not the black boy's step that came towards the cave. This was a firmer, an altogether different tread. Trant knew it. He darted forward with a muffled oath. Elsie rose too. She recognized the advancing figure. It was Morres Blake. He was followed by Sam Shehan.
Blake came right into the center of the cave. He had a revolver in his hand, and Elsie saw a look on his face which reminded her of the night at Goondi; a wild, desperate, and yet exalted look.
He came straight towards Elsie, just pausing as he entered to say to Shehan, "Get Abatos."
Shehan went out by the crater entrance. Ignoring Trant's presence, Blake said to Elsie, "Miss Valliant, I have come to take you home."
And then all Elsie's fortitude gave way, and she burst into a fit of sobbing. Blake put his arms round her. "Don't cry," he said, "you are safe now." The sight seemed to madden Trant. He sprang towards them, his revolver upraised. In a moment Blake had covered him with the muzzle of his own pistol. There was a shot. Elsie never rightly knew what had happened. When the smoke cleared she saw that the two men were grappling, and that the revolvers lay upon the ground.
"You villain!" she heard Blake say, "couldn't you play square?"
It was as though a demon possessed Blake. Of the two he was of the slighter build, but he seemed to have the strength of a giant, as he flung his adversary from him.
Trant reeled backwards, and fell, his head striking heavily against one of the stone props of the slab table. Blake looked at him coolly, raised him, and quickly examined the
