for an instant the other three stood
looking on in astonishment--even, at first, with amusement. But as the
fellow backed across the tiny brook he tripped and he fell sprawling
and his out-thrown hand carried down and extinguished one of the
lanterns from its precarious niche on a small shelf of rock.

Alexander, making most of her brief moment, leaped across the body that
had gone down and recovered from its place on top of the saddle-bags
the pistol that had been taken from her at the time of her capture.

The three who had so far remained non-combatants could maintain that
role no longer.

"Drop thet gun," yelled one as their own weapons leaped out. But
Alexander had thrown herself to the ground and at the same instant she
fired a single shot--not at any one of her jailers, but at the sole
remaining lantern, which was only ten feet distant.

Then as the place went black she came to her feet and plunged through
the darkness to the opposite wall where she had marked a pulpit-like
rock that would give her temporary shelter.

She guessed rightly that now for a while at least since she was known
to be armed, there would be a hesitation in the relighting of lanterns
or even in the striking of matches. That caution, in a situation which
had abruptly undergone a change of complexion, went farther. There was
even no sound of voices or of movement.

Alexander herself was groping warily for the rock, setting down each
foot with extreme and noiseless caution. At last she gained the
protection which she sought and waited. She wished she might have
regained her rifle but that had not been lying within reach when she
made her hurricane entrance into action.

There were remaining to her five cartridges in the revolver, and
somewhere there in the inky blackness about her were four men,
presumably ammunitioned without stint. Also their confederates would
shortly return, bearing flambeaux--and then her little moment of
advantage would end. Even if every cartridge at her command went
fatally home, the supply was inadequate to cope with such numbers.

The silence hung with a suspense that was well nigh unendurable and
when the filthy wings of a bat brushed her cheek again she had to bite
the blood out of her lips to stifle an outcry.

As black and seemingly as lifeless as the coal which men had sought
there was the cavern where she crouched. Alexander wondered why the
sound of her pistol, which must have thundered in r