ting point each time。 But it was all Manning had； it was the best he could do。 And it was still a whole lot better and quicker than having the whole sprawling city to b over。 At least he knew which one of those six radiating avenues to take from here； now。 The stake was still as high as ever； but the odds had e down a lot。
He sighted a cab in the distance and bayed to it at the top of his lungs。 Five minutes later he had alighted at the mouth of the Callejуn。 The cab drove off； left him there alone。 It was black as the mouth of hell； not a light showed along its entire tortuous length； from where he was through to the other end。
He plunged in； to begin a one…man search from doorway to doorway。
Half an hour later he had dead…ended in the roofless chapel。 His torch moved up and down the walls in a series of scallops as he clambered up and down the varying mounds of debris。 His face looked gray in the pallid reflection of its small glow； and there was the shine of sweat； the sweat of failure； in the pinched indentations at the corners of his eyes and mouth。 After his third time around； he turned and moved back toward the entrance。
There was a small click； and his light went out； just as his hopes had long before this。 He let the door flap idly to and fro behind him on the slight current of his egress； sat soddenly down on the worn steps outside； his spine a bow of dejection。 There was no place else to go from here。
Minutes went by。 He looked up once； at the patch of black over him。 It was still night。 How long a night lasted…sometimes。 But not when you are dying。
He rose to his feet at last； began hobbling painfully along toward where the inset rejoined the main part of the alley。 A piece of gravel had got into one of his shoes； climbing around inside there； and was half killing him。 He had to stop finally； brace his foot against the wall； and strip off the offending shoe。 He shook it out； felt along the sole of his sock to make sure the irritant was not imbedded in that。 It was； and it rolled into the hollow of his hand。
The dangling shoe dropped with a clump； and he flicked on his light； turned it into his palm。 Something winked there in its creases。 A diminutive oblong； tiny but bright。 A microscopic tube。 A bead。 One of those things from her dress。
It had only been hurting him since he'd e out of there。
He shoveled his foot back into the shoe； ran up the short steps and inside once more。
He only found it at last because he knew there was something there to be found now and he wouldn't quit looking until he had。 It was a lead trap set into the floor and indistinguishable in size or color from the massive paving blocks set around it。 He'd missed it because he'd been chiefly occupied with the walls until now； not the littered flooring underfoot； which had seemed solid。 His quest had been for a gap； an orifice； not anything of this sort。
He was squatting down by it now； getting excited。 It had a flattened ring nosed through it。 He pried that up and pulled； and the whole thing tilted up quite easily； on a sort of chain…brace arrangement on the underside。
He shot his light down into it； to reveal a narrow oblong pit； with breakneck stone steps leading down； but from the side； not lengthwise。 On the lowest step of all there was another of those tiny winking points of light； like the one that had rested in his palm awhile ago； outside。
〃This is for me；〃 he told himself with grim conviction。
What it was； where it went to； he didn't know； only that she'd e this way； so he was going to e this way； too。 A cold long…buried air arose in his face； like something from another world； as he disappeared down into it by sections； like someone being swallowed in a quicksand： first his legs； then his thighs； then his middle。 Finally it closed over his head。
There was a tunnel stretching before him； almost to infinity； it seemed。 It was shored at the sides and top by age…blackened beams； like a mine shaft。 As he moved along it eating up distance； he almost received the impression of standing still。 There was always still more empty blackness out there ahead of the furthermost limits of the beam of his light。 Once his light swam over the droppings of some animal； weeks old and half dust。
So it had been down in here…at one time。
A few paces farther on he shied suddenly； gave an instinctive quirk to the gun he was holding in readiness； as something white gleamed out at him unexpectedly。 It was a bodiless skull； nestled there in the angle of one of the shoring beams； grinning teeth to ground as if biting it。 It was ivory smooth with centuries of fleshlessness。
Then just when he thought this passage was never going to reach anywhere； never end； his light head suddenly foreshortened； deflected upwards by steps before him again。
Up over them was the same type of chained trap that had admitted him just now at the other end。 He put his foot to the lowest step； and then stopped for a moment。 Something made him put his light out and sheathe it in the waistband of his trousers； before he reached upward to open the enclosure。 The gun he retained。 He knew he was getting near the end of the trail now。
It lifted without any more recalcitrance than its plement at the other end； showing； if nothing else； that both had seen frequent use lately。 It was not； though； nor could it be expected to be； pletely noiseless。 It whined as it went upward； and the chains jangled as they stayed it。
As he came up into the dark； he was uncannily aware of some other presence near him。 Some bated presence that had detected him first； and was holding itself craftily motionless。 He could feel the skin across the back of his neck tighten； and he began fanning his gun warily against the sightless gloom that faced him。 He took a cautious step away from the topmost step。 Then another。
A current of air set in flux by some unseen movement near him reached him too late。
The bore of a gun ground into his backbone with electrifying lack of preliminary and； as though it were the nozzle of a powerful vacuum cleaner； seemed to draw him from behind into paralyzed motionlessness。
A hand； as cold with tension and deadly purpose as his own； suddenly came to rest on his； took away the gun。 A surly voice breathed close to his ear； 〃 Quieto！ 〃 Before he could identify it further； there was a snap and a light flashed on full in his face； blinding him。
Belmonte's voice suddenly sounded； full…tone。 〃My God； it's you； hombre！ I nearly…〃
〃What did you run out on me like that for？〃 the American railed angrily。
〃Sh； keep your voice down！〃 the other cautioned。 He handed him his gun back。 〃My instinct told me to follow that carriage。 I had no time to warn you。 Even so； he nearly gave me the slip。 When I finally caught up with it； three blocks away from the alley； it was already empty…〃
〃How long have you been in here？〃
〃Only a few minutes ahead of you。 I was only beginning to look around when I heard you ing up through the trap…〃
〃What is it？ What is the place anyway？〃
〃It's the old underground dungeons of the Inquisition。 That must have been a secret passage they built in the old days。 There's dozens and dozens of little cells； it's honeybed with them。 e on； I'll show you how far I'd gotten when you interrupted me。 Don't make any noise； he's somewhere down around here。〃
Although they had been anything but noiseless； there was no indication that anything around them in the dark had heard…or was there to hear。 A cautious spurt or two of Manning's torch showed him what Belmonte had presumably already discovered for himself before his arrival： that they were in a crumbling； vaulted corridor； squat stone pillars every few yards supporting the succession of arches that roofed it。 Between each two were grim…looking iron doors。
〃You take this side； I'll take the other；〃 Belmonte breathed。
They separated； were immediately lost to one another in the gloom。 From then on a brief flicker of torchlight every few moments； quickly doused again； alternating from side to side； marked their progress。 Occasionally there was a querulous whimper of hinges； but man