An instant they both remained motionless, and
then, seeing and hearing nothing, she could restrain her impatience no
longer.
"What is it?" she questioned. "Is there something wrong?"
He reached back and drew her closer, without answering, until her eyes
also were able to look around the sharp edge of rock. Far away, it
seemed a long distance up that narrow tunnel, a lantern glowed dully,
the light so dim and flickering as to scarcely reveal even its
immediate surroundings; yet from that distance, her eyes accustomed to
the dense gloom, she could distinguish enough to quicken her breathing
and cause her to clutch the sleeve of her companion.
The lantern occupied a niche in the side wall at the bottom of a flight
of rude steps. Not more than a half-dozen of these were revealed, but
at their foot, where the passage had been widened somewhat, extended a
stone bench, on which lounged two men. One was lying back, his head
pillowed on a rolled coat, yet was evidently awake; for the other,
seated below him, with knees drawn up for comfort, kept up conversation
in a low voice, the words being inaudible at that distance.
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