Which is it?"
Norton turned and was gone in the darkness; to Virginia's eyes it
seemed that he was swallowed up by the cliff's themselves, as though
they had opened and accepted him and closed after him. She supposed
that he had gone to seek what scanty dry fuel one might find here. But
in a moment he was back carrying a lighted lantern.
"Look here, Rod. . . ." expostulated Brocky.
"Shut up, Brocky," answered Norton quietly. And, passing the lantern
to the girl. "If you'll carry that I'll carry Brocky. It's only a few
steps and I won't hurt him. We can make him more comfortable there;
and besides, we can't leave him out here in the sun to-morrow."
Somewhat mystified, Virginia took the lantern and her own surgical case
from the sheriff and watched him stoop and gather the tall form of his
friend into his arms. Then going the way he indicated, straight across
the tiny flat, she lighted the way. She heard the wounded man groan
once; then, his teeth set to guard his lips, Brocky was silent.
After a dozen steps she came to a steep-sided, narrow chasm giving
passageway not six feet wide which twisted this way and that before her.
"Look out," called Norton sharply. "Watch where you step now. Go
slow."
Virginia swinging her lantern up shoulder-high, looking ahead, grew
instantly stock-still, a shiver tingling along her spine.
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