led him on. Frank was before them. He had heard her words; he had seen that kiss. Her vow was the knell of his last hope.
They hurried through the gallery, and the further entrance cave, and across the plateau where the rock-lilies waved and scented the night air with their fragrance. Then suddenly there rang through the night the shot of a pistol; and then another. Elsie shrieked in despair. She gazed round in the helpless frenzy of an animal trapped with her young, and ready to defend them with her blood. On one side the unscalable precipice, on the other the slimy depths of the waterhole and the treacherous quicksands. And before them nearly a quarter of a mile of that ledge path with no hope of escape to right or left.
"They are upon us," Blake said quietly. "We can do nothing now."
Elsie made a frantic movement backwards.
"Go into the cave again; let us put up the stone and defy them."
"For what use? It would mean bloodshed first, and certain capture later. No, I haven't taken any man's life so far. I won't do it now."
"You are right," said Hallett. "Face the inevitable. It is better to give yourself up quietly, Blake," he exclaimed with emotion. "I'm sorry for you. I'd have sacrificed all I'm worth to save you."
"Yes, I know you would," Blake answered. "You would have done it for her sake, Hallett," he added with deep emotion. "I deserve nothing from you but curses. I have also robbed you of your dearest hope, as I have robbed her of her happiness"
"No, no!" cried Elsie, passionately. "You have taught me what happiness is."
He turned on her a look of infinite love and remorse.
"It is true," he said. "I have ruined the lives of all those I loved, of all those who have loved me. I am the scapegoat of my generation, the mad, bad Blake. Well, it
