صفحة 155 من 439

"All right, honey. You're sure all safe now," he said tenderly,

and in the blackness his lips sought and met hers in a kiss that

sealed the understanding their souls had reached.

At the sound of Neill's voice Dunke had extinguished the candle

and vanished in the darkness with Struve, the latter holding him

by the arm in a despairing grip. Neill shouted again and again,

as he relighted his candle, but there came no answer to his

calls.

"We had better make for the shaft," he said.

They set out on the long walk to the opening that led up to the

light and the pure air. For a while they walked on in silence. At

last he took her hand and guided her fingers across the seam on

his wrist.

"It don't seem only four days since you did that, honey," he

murmured.

"Did I do that?" Her voice was full of self-reproach, and before

he could stop her she lifted his hand and kissed the welt.

"Don't, sweet. I deserved what I got and more. I'm ready with

that apology you didn't want then, Peggy."