arms; but the
craft, if not the whole vigor of his own youth remained with him, and
at a chance opportunity, he whipped off his blanket and smothered his
opponent's face therein.

The blanket was almost priceless, and, next to his staff, his dearest
possession; but when its heavy folds had subdued the other to
unconsciousness, he did not hesitate to tear it into strips. With
these Ferd was promptly bound, hand and foot. Then Pedro recovered the
lantern and again called to Lady Jess:

"I find a way. Wait."

"Oh, Pedro! I know your blessed voice! There's a rope somewhere. Ask
him. Quick--quick!"

"Wait."

But the dwarf had almost immediately recovered his breath, recognized
his opponent, and now directed the search. With a few superstitious
ranchmen, he shared the belief that Old Century was under supernatural
protection, and that it was extremely dangerous to meddle with one so
guarded. Of all who might have traced him to that hidden spot, here
was the last he wished to meet; and now that he knew himself beaten,
he began to whimper and plead in a cowardly way:

"Let me up, Pedro. Ferd'll take little lady out. Just fun, to make big
talk. Ferd never hurt the 'captain;' no Ferd is a good boy, Pedro.
Ferd is a good boy. Poor Ferd! Pedro, let poor Ferd go."

The only attention the shepherd vouchsafed the whiner was to put his
own foot under the inert body and roll it well back from the pit's
mouth. He had found the rope, a long and costly lariat which he
recognized as having once been the property of Jessica's father, and
he secured it about an upright timber that he tested and saw was still
firm. Then he took the handle of the lantern between his teeth and
slipped swiftly down the shaft.

As he reached the bottom Jessica threw herself upon his breast with a
fresh outburst of joy and tears. But he dared not tarry below even
with an apparently helpless enemy above, and, giving her the rope, he
tersely bade her:

"Climb!"

With an intuition of his fear, she promptly obeyed him and stood guard
over the lariat lest Ferd should make a fresh attempt upon it. Yet it
seemed an interminable time that Pedro stayed below; and when at last
he came above, she held him fast, not willing again to let him go.

But he was in no haste. Allowing her to keep between himself and the
cavern's wall, even intrusting to her care the curious staff that now
persisted in dancing along the cavern's floor in an elfish way which
amazed the