om a place
of darkness comparable to that of the jungle all about, became
suddenly a cosy and comfortable place.

"Well?" said Paula quietly.

Bell hesitated, and took a deep breath.

"We're stuck," he said wryly. "We must have struck a snag or perhaps a
rock, just under water. Half the bottom of the hull's torn out.
There's no hope of repair. If I hadn't given her the gun and beached
her, we'd have sunk in mid-stream."

Paula said nothing.

"Things are piling on us," said Bell grimly. "In the morning I'll try
to make a raft. We can't stay here indefinitely. I'll hunt for maps
and we'll try to plan something out. But I'll admit that this business
worries me--the plane being smashed."

* * * * *

He passed his hand harassedly over his forehead. To have escaped from
Rio was something, but since Paula had told him Ribiera's plans, it
was clearly but the most temporary of successes. Cabinet ministers are
not so commonplace but that the scandalous and horrifying crime that
was imputed to Bell and Paula would be printed in every foreign
country. Newspapers in Tokio would include the supposed murder in
their foreign news, and in Bucharest and even Constantinople it would
merit a paragraph or two. Assuredly every South American country would
discuss the matter editorially, even where The Master's deputies did
not order it published far and wide. There would be pictures of Bell
and of Paula, labeled with an infamy. In every town of all Brazil
their faces would be known, and those who were The Master's slaves
would hunt them desperately, and all honorable men would seek them for
a crime. Even in America there would be no safety for them. The Trade
does not exist, officially, and a member of the Trade must get out of
trouble as he can. As an accused murderer, Bell would be arrested
anywhere. As worse than a mere murderess, Paula....

She was watching his face.

"This morning," she said queerly, "you--you quoted '_Nil
desperandum_.'"

Bell ground his teeth, and then managed to smile.

"If I looked like I needed you say that," he said coolly, "I deserve
to be kicked. Let's look for something to eat, and count up our
resources. The thing to do is, when you fall down--bounce!"

He managed a nearly genuine grin, then, and to his intense amazement,
she sobbed suddenly and bent her head down and began to weep. He
stared at her in stupefaction for an instant, then swore at himself
for a fool