In a moment he was beside her, and
they were hurrying towards the inclined passage, bending low.
CHAPTER XIV
A broad stream of water was pouring down, and spreading on each side
in the space between the vaults. In a flash, Malipieri understood. The
dry well had filled, but the overflow shaft was covered with the
weighted boards, and only a little water could get down through the
cracks. The rest was pouring down the passage, and would soon fill the
vault, which was at a much lower level.
"Stay here! Do not move!"
Sabina stood still, but she trembled a little, as he dashed up through
the swift, shallow stream, not ankle deep, but steady as fate. In a
moment he had disappeared from her sight, and she was all alone in the
dismal place, in darkness, save for a little light that forced its way
up from below through the hole. It seemed five minutes before his
plashing footsteps stopped, up there in the passage; then came
instantly the noise of stones thrown aside into the water, and of
heavy pieces of board grating and bumping, as they floated for a
moment. Almost instantly a loud roar came from the same direction, as
the inflowing stream from the well thundered down the shaft. Sabina
heard Malipieri's voice calling to her, and his approaching footsteps.
"The water cannot reach you now!" he cried.
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