DEATH FACES THEM.
The next morning they had gone but a short distance when they came to a
vast inland lake. The bridge mentioned in the manuscript stood before
them, and mounting this they startled to cross the lake. They had
followed this about four miles when they came to a break in the solid
masonry. The hole was fully eight feet wide, and it was a serious
question as to how they were to get to the opposite side; but Sedai
offered to tie the rope to his arm and leap across. The end of the rope
could be fastened and the ladies and Mr. Graham could cross over, while
Mr. Bruce and Harry could make the leap as did Sedai.
This Sedai did, and fastening one end of the rope to one of the huge
stones, which had evidently come from the break, Mr. Bruce and Harry
held the other end, and Mrs. Graham and Enola worked their way slowly
across. Nellie then grasped the rope and was half way over, when a
terrible commotion was heard near the bridge, and a spout of water was
sent thirty feet into the air. The whole party was deluged; the torches
were put out, and when their first surprise was over, they saw with
horror that Nellie had loosened her hold on the rope and had dropped
into the water. Hastily relighting the torches, they saw Nellie
disappearing in the swift current. It took but a second for Mr. Bruce to
throw off his jacket and plunge in after her. He hoped by the help the
current and his long easy strokes to overtake her. He could just see her
above the surface of the water about one hundred yards ahead of him,
evidently fast giving out. He strained every nerve, put forth every
effort, resorted to every means to force himself through the water, and
he could see that he was gaining slowly. He called to her to keep her
hands and feet moving and to keep up courage. He could see her beating
the water making frantic efforts to keep afloat, but her struggles were
becoming weaker and weaker, and at last they ceased altogether and she
began to sink when he was only a few feet away. Making one grand final
effort he caught her by the hair just as she was sinking beneath the
surface.
Grasping her about the waist, and holding her head above the water with
one arm, he tried to swim out of the current. This was a hard task, but
he was an excellent swimmer, and nearly succeeded. But the struggle was
an unequal one and having but one hand to use, he soon found that the
current was getting the better of him. He now threw Nellie over his
shoulder and grasping her dress between his teeth, he in this way gained
the use of both hands, and soon made his way into more quiet water.
Turning he saw the flickering torches far in the distance, but close at
hand were two round balls that shone like fire. The water was terribly
agitated and he soon found himself struggling against waves like those
thrown up by the paddles of a steamboat.
Nearer and nearer came those fearful eyes, and Mr. Bruce thought all was
lost. Happily for Nellie she had fainted, so she was spared the terror
of this new danger. Mr. Bruce was not one to give up, however, as long
as there was a shadow of a hope, and he was thinking hard to devise a
means to escape this monster. Those eyes were nearing him, and in an
instant he would feel the hot breath in his face. Down he sank holding
Nellie about the waist. Rising to the surface again he started for the
lights. He was afraid to look back for fear of seeing those fearful eyes
following him. Larger and larger grew the lights, nearer and nearer he
came to his friends. His strength was fast failing but he must not give
up when so near to those who could rescue them. A few strokes more and
he was in the radius of the torchlight, and a shout of encouragement
from his friends greeted him. This seemed to rouse Nellie for she gave a
long sigh.
“Throw your arms about my neck and hold on for your life,” said Mr.
Bruce, and Nellie having done this it left his mouth free, and he
breathed with greater ease.
“Look behind you,” called Mr. Graham, and looking over his shoulder, he
saw those awful eyes again, with the huge black body, following them. He
turned and faced the monster again, just as it was opening its cavernous
jaws. Once more he sank bidding Nellie to hold her breath. The huge mass
passed over him, and coming to the surface he saw the great black body
going straight ahead at a fearful speed. The serpent made a big circle
and then turned and came toward them again. Mr. Bruce was nearly
exhausted and felt that he could not risk again that terrible plunge
under the passing monster, and still have strength to reach the pier. He
could see Harry and Sedai preparing to swim to them, and knew that
Nellie and he were safe if the terrible serpent did not make another
charge on them. Sedai now came towards them holding a flaming torch.
Back of them but a few yards could be seen the sea monster again making
for them. They were fast nearing the bridge. The rope was thrown to them
and Mr. Bruce fastening this around Nellie’s body, she was pulled out of
the water. It was then thrown to Mr. Bruce and Sedai, just as the
terrible monster opened his jaws. Sedai thrust his blazing torch into
the creature’s mouth, and then with Mr. Bruce, hurried hand over hand up
the rope.
The water was lashed into foam by the struggles of the serpent, and
bullets from Harry’s revolver seemed to have no effect. They got a good
look now at the monster. The largest part of the body was just back of
the head and tapered from this to the end of the tail. The head was at
least six feet long, and flat, or nearly so. The wide jaws, when open,
showed a double set of irregular teeth. The tongue was forked. A large
horn about three feet long sprang from the head just back of the
nostrils, and from this to the point of the tail was a succession of
smaller horns. Just back of the large horn or tusk, was a hole through
which the monster forced a stream of water high into the air. Three
great fins on either side of the body were tipped with long claws
looking as if they might be used for crawling. Its rage was terrible
when maddened by the flaming torch and by the escaping of its prey.
The party now hurried on over the bridge after they had transferred the
packs by a succession of leaps across the break. The monster followed
them for awhile but finally turned and swam away. They reached the end
of the bridge about two hours later, and calculated that it must be
about ten miles long. Leaving the shores of the lake they again followed
the line of broken stone, and two days later reached the opposite wall.
For awhile they sought a possible opening in the wall, but could nowhere
detect any evidence of human handiwork. To and fro they went, pressing
hard upon every piece of rock which projected from the wall. This they
kept up all of the first day, and they laid down to rest that night
pretty well disheartened. Their provisions were getting low for they had
calculated in getting through in much less time. They had been living on
short rations for the past twenty-four hours, but now they had but a few
crackers left. They still had hopes, however, of finding this secret
door on the morrow, when they would find food in plenty on the other
side of the wall. The following morning after a frugal repast of dry
crackers, they again began the search. They first examined the wall
directly in front of them, but could see no crack or crevice which might
indicate the presence of a door. They had carefully followed the line of
broken stone, and they might reasonably expect to find the door at the
end of this.
Striking on the rock with a hammer at different places, they could not
distinguish any difference in tone, which would indicate a thinner part
of the rock wall. They examined the rock for about four hundred feet,
and all seemed perfectly solid. They discovered in their search many
holes about four feet square, two feet wide, and three feet deep. These
were arranged along the side of the cavern, having been cut in the wall,
and upon close inspection they found them to contain what proved to be
mummies. These were wrapped in heavy sacking, many of the envelopes
being of fantastic colors. Harry took one of these bundles from its
place and cut it open. A number of cloth coverings were found under the
outside wrapping, and then came a covering of large leaves which
crumbled into dust when exposed. Next to the leaves was a wrapping of
fine silk. This having been removed the body was discovered. It was that
of a man who must have been more than six feet in height when alive. The
head was brought forward between the knees, which were drawn up; the
skin was dry and hard and drawn closely over the bones; the hair was
long and still retained a beautiful lustre. The head was small but
beautifully formed; the hands and feet were also small and symmetrical.
Inside the covering were a number of gold balls about one half inch in
diameter; two characters were engraved on one side of each of these
balls. Examining them closely, Mr. Bruce declared that the hieroglyphics
were undoubtedly Egyptian. Around the neck of the mummy was a chain of
gold set with diamonds and opals. This chain was similar to the one
found around Harding’s neck, but the bright red stone was missing.
Eight o’clock had arrived and they were still searching for the opening.
A supper of crackers had been eaten. They were already suffering from
the pangs of thirst. The water gourds which had been refilled before
leaving the lake were again empty. The food, with the exception of a few
crackers, was gone.
Mrs. Graham and Nellie laid down to get a few hours’ rest, but Enola,
with the men of the party, kept bravely on in search of the opening.
Midnight came and found them still searching. Hungry and thirsty, they,
too, at last lay down, feeling that they must reserve their strength as
much as possible. Their few hours of sleep, however, did not seem to
refresh them, for the thirst had made them restless. The whole party
arose about the same time and the search was soon taken up again. They
examined the wall more closely, going farther on either side, but with
no success.
Late in the afternoon Mrs. Graham became so feverish for want of water
that Sedai started with two large gourds for the lake. If they should
find the opening in the meantime, they were to leave directions as to
how to open the rock door, and then pass on. About midnight Mr. Graham
also became delirious, and Mrs. Graham’s and Nellie’s lips were so
swollen that they could scarcely articulate. Mr. Bruce and Harry,
although suffering terribly, still kept up the search. All night they
tramped up and down the cave, trying to find the secret opening. Toward
morning they became so famished and their tongues and lips were so
parched and swollen they could not make each other understand what they
were saying. Enola alone seemed to retain her clear and unfailing
senses.
Mr. Bruce and Harry had thrown themselves on the ground at last,
thoroughly worn out, their lips and tongues swollen terribly. Mrs.
Graham and Nellie were mumbling something in their delirium which was
unintelligible. This drove Mr. Bruce and Harry nearly frantic, and again
they arose and took up the search. Their breath came hard through their
parched throats, and their eyes were wild and glaring. Mr. Bruce walked
over to where Mrs. Graham and Nellie were lying, and suddenly drawing
his knife, he slit the sleeve of his jacket and shirt, and made a deep
incision in his arm; then carefully raising Nellie’s head with his other
arm he let the warm blood from the wound drop between her half-open
lips; then going to Mrs. Graham he partially alleviated her sufferings
in the same way. Finally overcome with weakness Mr. Bruce fell back, and
Harry, who had stood by looking at the strange sight, but hardly
realizing what Mr. Bruce was doing, now came up, and tearing off the
sleeve of the shirt, bound the arm tightly above the wound. Enola stood
watching this self-sacrificing act on the part of Mr. Bruce, and when
Harry had bandaged his arm, she turned and walked toward the wall,
mumbling something to herself. Harry saw that she, too, was fast
becoming delirious, but he was powerless to help her, he being almost
too weak now to again take up the search.
He arose to his feet, however, and again joining Enola, they together
staggered from point to point of the wall, feverishly looking for some
indication of a revolving stone. Hours had passed since Sedai had left
them, but they seemed like years to his suffering companions. Praying
for his return, praying for deliverance from this cavern, Enola felt her
senses leaving her. She fought against this but to no purpose. Harry
finally sank to the ground in a delirium. Enola gazed at him for a
moment, and making one final effort, stumbled along leaning against the
wall for support. She had gone but five or six paces when her strength
gave way entirely, and she sank back upon the rock floor. Death seemed
inevitable.