Part 26 (1/2)

”My God--they'll dig us out!” he cried wildly ”Joanne, you don't think they won't dig us out, do you? Why, that's i us out! There is no danger--none at all Only it's chilly, and uncomfortable, and I'm afraid you'll take cold!”

”What time is it?” she repeated softly

For a moment he looked steadily at her, and his heart leaped when he saw that she h her face was as white as an ivory cross she was shastly death-glooht out his watch, and in the lantern-glow they looked at it

”A quarter after three,” he said ”By four o'clock they will be at work--Blackton and twenty men They will have us out in time for supper”

”A quarter after three,” repeated Joanne, and the words came steadily from her lips ”That means----”

He waited

”_We have forty-five minutes in which to live!_” she said

Before he could speak she had thrust the lantern into his hand, and had seized his other hand in both her own

”If there are only forty-five minutes let us not lie to one another,” she said, and her voice was very close ”I knohy you are doing it, John Aldous It is for reat deal for me in these two days in which one 'can be born, and live, and die' But in these last minutes I do not want you to act what I know cannot be the truth You know--and I know The wires are laid to the battery rock There is no hope At four o'clock--we both knoill happen And I--a for speech In a moment he said:

”There are other lanterns--Joanne I saw theht theainst the rock wall He lighted them, and the half-burned candle

”It is pleasanter,” she said

She stood in the glow of theht, and as beautiful as an angel Her lips were pale; the last drop of blood had ebbed frolorious in the poise of her head, and in the wistful gentleness of her ht in her eyes And then, slowly, as he stood looking with a face torn in its agony for her, she held out her arms

”John--John Aldous----”

”Joanne! Oh,to her, but she was s in that new and wonderful way as her arms reached out to hi:

”John--John, if you want to, now--you can tell me that my hair is beautiful!”

And then she was in his arms, her warm, sweet body crushed close to hi his face, and over and over again she was speaking his nahty flood of his great love; and he held her there, forgetful of tietful of death itself; and he kissed her tender lips, her hair, her eyes--conscious only that in the hour of death he had found life, that her hands were stroking his face, and caressing his hair, and that over and over again she hispering sobbingly his naainst his breast at last lorious For the triumph of love had overridden the despair of death, and her face was flooded with its colour and in her eyes was its glory

And then, as they stood there, a step between them, there came--almost like the benediction of a cathedral bell--the soft, low tinkling chime of the half-hour bell in Aldous' watch!

It struck hiid iron, and his torn hands clenched tightly at his sides

”Joanne--Joanne, it is impossible!” he cried huskily, and he had her close in his arlow ”I have lived for you, I have waited for you--all these years you have been co to me--and now that you are mine--_mine_--it is iain, and caught up a lantern Foot by foot he examined the packed tunnel It was solid--not a crevice or a break through which ht have travelled the sound of his voice or the explosion of a gun He did not shout He knew that it would be hopeless, and that his voice would be terrifying in that sepulchral to--a possible exit--in that mountain wall? With the lantern in his hand he searched There was no break He ca where he had left her And suddenly, as he looked at her, all fear went out of him, and he put down the lantern and went to her

”Joanne,” he whispered, holding her two hands against his breast, ”you are not afraid?”

”No, I am not afraid”

”And you know----”