“That’s strange,” she said, nervously entering the room. “Come on in, Ethel, and bring Percy. We’ll see if he has got the nerve he has been bragging to us about. I’m not going to stay in this place long myself, it looks spooky to me. We will investigate that secret passage and then dust out of here. I have got a nice flashlight with me so we won’t have to stumble over anything.” “I cannot understand what became of the two cowboys that are supposed to be in charge here,” Ethel replied, stepping inside and walking gingerly about the room. “Oh, say a real live counterfeiter’s den! Won’t I have something to tell the people back in New York when I get home?” Josephine smiled at the Eastern girl’s enthusiasm. “I guess only one of the guards stay here at a time,” she said, “and they probably take turns while one of them rides the range. The one we met is no doubt on watch here now, and is about the place somewhere. Come, Percy dear, I will let you take this nice new flashlight; won’t you lead the way into the cellar?” It was plain to the girls that the task was not to Percy’s liking, but when they laughed at him he braced up and made a show of courage. With quaking hearts, it must be confessed, they found a door leading into the cellar. Once at the bottom, they huddled close together. “I suppose we were awful fools to come here alone,” Josephine remarked, jumping nervously at the sound of her own voice; it sounded strange and hollow to her in the long cellar. “Now that we’re here we’ll see it through. I remember Sir Jack telling that there was a button or knot that he pushed, and lo! a door opened into the secret passage. I suppose they have the passage sealed up, but I am going to see for myself just the same. Here, Percy, let me take that light, your face is white as a sheet and your hand is trembling. Brace up, man.” Josephine took the light and led the way, the others following cautiously. They had not proceeded far when Josephine stopped short in a listening attitude. For the first time, Ethel saw that she was carrying a revolver in one hand. “What is it?” Ethel whispered anxiously, and her knees shook in spite of her. “I thought that I heard a sound like an engine motor,” Josephine answered joyously. Distinctly the sound of a motor came to their ears, each moment growing louder until the sound developed into a continuous roar. “Hurrah,” Josephine cried, unable to suppress her delight. “Sir Jack is coming.” The next instant a heavy hand was clasped over her mouth and a voice hissed in her ear: “Keep silent, or you die!” Josephine screamed and discharged her revolver. She heard a shout and an answering shot and she was sure that if it was Mason, he had heard her fire the shot and was coming to their assistance.