"What a terrible place, Dolores," said Jack, drawing a long breath. "It is like the abode of demons. Come! it is now after midnight, and the moon will soon be setting. While we have the light, let us try to reach the end of yonder avenue." "One moment, Juan," replied Dolores, drawing forth something from her bosom. "While Cocom was with you, I went up to the shrine of Huitzilopochtli and took in--this." Between her fingers, in the pale moonlight, it flashed faintly with weak sparks of many coloured fire. Jack bounded forward. "The Harlequin Opal!" he exclaimed, delighted. "You have taken the Harlequin Opal." CHAPTER IX. THE FUGITIVES. The sun goes down, the twilight wanes, With reddened spurs and hanging reins, We urge our steeds across the plains. For you and I are flying far, From those who would our loving mar, And prison you with bolt and bar. Sigh not, dear one, look not so white, My castle stands on yonder height, We'll reach it e'er the morning's light. The future's joy this night is born, I wed thee in the early morn, And laugh my rivals twain to scorn. It was fifty miles from Totatzine to the coast. Dolores being a woman, and weak, Jack, owing to illness, not being quite so strong as usual, they found it difficult to do more on an average than two miles an hour. To make up for slow walking they stretched out their pedestrianism to twelve hours between dawn and eve, thus reaching the sea-shore in two days. They arrived at the cave spoken of by Cocom, which was a harbour of refuge to them in their sore distress, completely worn out, body and soul and garments. Still they felt a certain amount of comfort in three consolations: First, they had escaped from Totatzine with their lives. Secondly, the wallet was not yet exhausted of meat and drink, so that they were in no danger of starvation. Thirdly, Cocom, always supposing he would hoodwink the priests as to his share in their escape, would arrive within twelve hours or thereabouts. Thus fortified with food and hope, they stayed thankfully in the cave and waited the arrival of the old Indian.