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“Yes, I think they will,” said the victim, still spluttering and flourishing his handkerchief. “A little more of that sort of thing and I’ll turn back now.”

They soon reached the avenue that leads to the Side Saddle, where more than one merry lass took a seat for effect. They heard how an explorer named Goren had once stood idly talking and pecking against the wall with a sharp stone when, lo! it broke through. He continued to widen the opening till, upon throwing down a blue light, there stood revealed a perfect dome, exquisitely filagreed. It has been known ever since as Goren’s Dome, and a good-sized window, jagging the wall, admits one or two lookers at a time. On their knees they crawled through the Valley of Humility, and out into almost endless space, so varied are the landmarks of this underground miracle. Here is a chamber too vast to be lighted by the torches; there, a defile so narrow as to be passed only in single file. Now they traverse a level valley to emerge at the foot of a mountainous region that must be attacked with alpenstocks and helping hands.

“Oh, look at that awfully dark place! It might be Pluto’s hallway,” said a girl.

“Don’t go that way,” called the guide; “you must just follow me. There is where that stranger strayed off and was never heard of again. He was in bad health and came in here to breathe the pure air for a few hours. He never came out.”

“Goodness!” thundered a dozen voices; “let’s move on before his ghost appears. I hear the rattle of dry bones now.”

“The Star Chamber!” shouted the guide, who, being in front, had often much ado to send his voice to the rear of the party. “Ladies and gentlemen, walk in, take your seats, and let me have your torches.”

He was obeyed with much fluttering and chattering. He extinguished all the lights but his own, and disappeared behind a ledge of shelving rock. They were in total darkness. Gradually a ray of blue, then of red, then of white light, flashed upon the vast concave roof, showing myriads of star-like points resembling the Milky Way, a crescent moon, and finally a comet appearing in full sail. The effect was magical.

“It is usual to have a song here, if you would like it,” suggested the guide.

“By all means,” was the universal response. “A chorus! a chorus!”

Then the voices swelled upon the air in a thousand reverberating echoes. At the close the guide reappeared and lit the torches. Once more they sallied forth.

“Where is Minnie Dare?” suddenly asked a tall girl, whose tongue was too voluble for the guide’s equanimity.

“Here!” sounded the stentorian voice of Jason Hammond.

Upon turning back, however, he found not Minnie, but another small maiden near him. He darted again into the Star Chamber just as the fleet steps of Minnie Dare ran toward him. Not, however, in time to prevent his discerning among the shadows Eldon Brand hurrying to her side.

Catching the girl’s tender arm in a vise-like grip, the man hissed in her ear,–

“By Heaven, my girl, if you don’t stop philandering in the dark with that young scoundrel, I’ll pitch him into the first pit I see! You belong to me, and I’ll kill you before another shall have you!”

With a cry of mingled pain and terror the girl broke from him. Eldon Brand, who had seen the gesture without hearing the words, sprung with uplifted arm toward the man. Ere he could strike he was seized from behind by strong arms, and a voice urged,–

“Don’t, Brand! For Heaven’s sake, let that ruffian alone till we get out of this. You will frighten the ladies, get yourself into the newspapers, and play the deuce generally. Come on–they are calling in front.”

Hammond had seen this little by-play, and would not soon forget it; but at present he strode on after the girl.