The room was small and irregular in shape, but good taste and moderate expenditure had converted it into a rustic boudoir of no mean pretensions.  Cretonne hangings concealed the rough walls, and a few small pictures served to confine their bright folds to the uneven surface of earth and rock.  The earthen floor was covered by a mat.  A couch of the light, portable kind was daintily spread.  A shelving rock, covered with a mat of Japanese print, held a never-failing lamp, and two camp-chairs completed the furniture, which had been conveyed into the cave with the utmost care and secrecy.  A few books and a number of papers lay scattered about.  The presiding deity of the fairy bower looked a radiant welcome for the trusty ally upon whom they were dependent.

“You dear old Stephen!  Don’t you think it is time we ventured out into the world again?”

“Why, I think this looks like Heaven!” he said, with the freedom of his office, “I don’t know what you’d leave it for.”

“Yes, but you know that if it were not for your basket we should be forced to appear.  But I am learning to manage the ovens and pans.  See here,” and opening an inner curtain she revealed an alcove, where a few primitive cooking utensils were collected beside a small gasoline stove.

“I reckon your cooking don’t come to much more than warming over my bill of fare,” said Stephen, with an involuntary glance at the soft white hands, and an indulgent smile for the young housekeeper.

“Oh, but I do cook, really,” she protested.  “Eldon, did you ever taste nicer eggs?  And the water down there carries off all the shells and scraps.  Hear it rush along now!” and busily the stream did run to flow into Green river, so the knowing ones said.  “But,” she added; “if my father only knew.  The moment we hear that that hateful man has gone abroad we will defy all the rest.  Do you know, Stephen,” in a lower tone, “we were very near being caught on the hill to-day.  I was all bent over as usual in my old woman’s dress, and Eldon was limping along on his crutch stick when—­hark! what was that?”

“Did you hear anything?” asked Eldon, coming to her side, “don’t be frightened, love.  It could not have been any one.  You are nervous.”

The young wife’s cheek paled a little as she reminded him of a frightful dream she had before mentioned.

“Nonsense, dear, we are safe as long as my bank holds out.  In a short while we will brave the world and be at least a nine days’ wonder.”

Hoping to persuade Minnie Dare to elope with him, after their colloquy on the balcony the night of the ball, and thereby escape her persecutor, the young man had not followed the cave party on the long route without first amply supplying his purse.  Stephen had suggested the strategem they impulsively employed of temporarily disappearing into the black corridor opposite the Bottomless Pit, after throwing a heavy rock down the abyss to simulate a fall; and Stephen had mapped out for them the whole situation succeeding the supposed catastrophe.  Thus far they had not lacked for comforts; and stolen visits in disguise to the upper regions had varied their solitude and given refreshing glimpses of sunlight.