The change in atmosphere was so intense that the young Texans gasped. It was as if a thin, invisible curtain hung over the mouth of the tunnel, dividing the oven heat of the day outside from the cool, dank rush of air coming up from the bowels of the earth. “This is certainly great.” Georgie had kept silence as long as possible. Antonina shook her head warningly. “Talk low. They can not find you here. Only one or two have known of the old workings of the mine. And my fine Froylan is not one of them. It is as I suspected. He flew forth before daylight to find some desperado or other to come and capture you.” “How do you know that is what he went for?” Antonina ignored the question with a disdainful wave of the hand. “But when he returns you will have left. You must stay here till I can see what to do.” “What about our horses? I would rather be captured than have anything happen to my pinto.” “That little grandson of my husband, José, he will herd them on the hillside. He knows how, and tonight he will bring them to the tunnel here.” “But where are we to go?” Raquel trusted the old woman and was eager to be on her way, even though fleeing bandits and kidnapers. But both she and Georgie were tired from their experience in the desert, and she felt that a few days rest would make them fit again. “You may rest with my old _comadre_, Dorothea, in the valley. Then on to Moctezuma, from where you must find your way back north, my child.” With a finger to her lips she ducked quickly and was out in the blinding glare of the morning. Georgie and Raquel sat taking stock of things. “Well, it’s better here than on the desert, or in that tin-roofed oven. We can rest here,” Georgie observed cheerfully. Raquel was worried about Paintbrush. She had gone up to the corral to caress him and talk with him before she slept the night before, but he would be expecting her during the day sometime. Would he behave with the little boy? Or would he hunt her out here? As the long day wore on they drowsed and rested. The heat waves before the tunnel entrance grew whiter and more shimmery. They retreated farther down the inclining shaft and explored as far as they dared. Coming back to that white light at the mouth of the shaft they found Antonina with lunch and a package. She brought the most delicious of _enchiladas_, savory with cheese and wild onion, swimming in red hot chili. That she had gathered the ingredients together was a miracle, yet she apologized for the lack of eggs to top the dish. In spite of the weather they ate every mouthful with relish. “Froylan has just ridden away with three evil-looking men in the direction of Divisaderos, chasing you,” said Antonina. “You must leave tonight over the rocks where José will guide you. But you, Señorita, ought to leave your fine clothes and take these _pantalones_ of the people, these _teguas_.” She opened the bundle and took out the native sandals, a cotton shirt and trousers.