a
woman's dress.

In an instant he had gathered the yielding form in his arms.

"Ruth!" he shouted.

"Allen!" came back faintly from her parted lips.

For an instant everything reeled about Drew and his mind was awhirl.
Then he laid his burden down and fell frantically to rubbing her hands.
Incoherent cries came from his lips as he sought to restore her to
complete consciousness.

His vigorous efforts were rewarded a few moments later when Ruth
stirred and tried to sit up.

"I must have fainted," she said; "or perhaps I struck my head against
the side of the cave when the shock came."

"Don't try to talk yet," said Drew. "Just lie still a few minutes till
you are stronger."

She obeyed, while he sat beside her holding her hand.

"I can sit up now," she said after a few minutes. "My head is
perfectly clear again."

"Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself when you fell?"

"I think not," she answered, as she passed her hand over her hair. "My
head doesn't seem to be bruised or bleeding anywhere. It must have
been the shock."

"Thank God it was nothing worse!" returned Drew fervently. "But tell
me how you happened to be here. It seems like a miracle. The whole
thing staggers me. I thought I left you outside of the cave when I
went in."

"So you did," she assented with a touch of her old demureness, "but
that doesn't say that I stayed there."

"I see it doesn't," he replied. "But why didn't you?"

"I guess it's because I'm not used to obeying anybody except my
father," she answered evasively.

"Tell me the real reason."

"Well," she said, driven to bay, "I was afraid there might be something
dangerous in here and--and--I didn't want you to have to face it
alone--and"--here she paused.

Drew's heart beat wildly.

"And so you came in to stand by my side," he said with emotion. "Ruth,
Ruth----"

"But now," said Ruth hastily, following up her advantage, "we must
hurry and get back to the others. Father will begin to worry about me."

Anguish smote Drew. Ruth had evidently not the slightest idea that
anything stood between her and freedom. How could he break the
dreadful news to her? He felt like an executioner compelled by some
awful fate to slay the one he loved most dearly.

"You mustn't look at me after we get outside until I've had a chance to
arrange my hair," she warned him gaily. "I must look a perfect fright."

Every innocent word was a stab that went straight to the man's he