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She could hardly believe it； but she'd escaped。She'd outrun him！
She kept going； pushing herself as hard as she dared。 Now she entered a large cavern； its floor covered in a blizzard of shattered and broken stalactites。 She scrambled over and under this cyclopean masonry； following whenever possible the wear marks indicating a trail。 And there it continued； almost vertically； at the far end of the cavern。
She gripped the lantern handle in her teeth and began to climb。 The foot… and handholds were slippery and worn。 But fear spurred her on； helped her forget the pain in her wrists and ankles。 The farther she went； the farther she would get from him。 And the trail had to lead somewhere； she was bound to find a way out sooner or later。 At last； with a gasp of relief； she reached the top； hoisted herself up…
And there he was。 Waiting for her。 His monstrous body covered with flecks of blood and flesh； the nightmarish impossible face fixed in a broken smile。
She screamed and the pallid features broke out into a high…pitched； squeal…like laugh。 A laugh of childlike delight。
Corrie tried to wriggle past； but a great hand swept down and clubbed her to the ground。 She fell on her back； stunned。 His laughter echoed hysterically。 The dark…lantern went rolling across the floor； candle guttering。 He stood above her； clapping his hands and laughing； face distorted with merriment。
〃Get away from me！〃 she screamed； pedaling herself backwards。
He reached down； grabbed her shoulders； jerked her to her feet。 The breath steamed from his rotten mouth like an abattoir。 Corrie screamed and he squealed again。 She twisted； trying to break out of his grip； but he held her with steel arms； laughing； squeezing。
〃Don't hurt me！〃 she cried。 〃You're hurting me！〃
〃Hooo！〃 he said； his strange high voice sending out a spray of fetid…smelling spittle。 He suddenly dropped her； scurried away； disappeared。
She tried to get up； picked up the lantern； looking around wildly。 She was surrounded by a forest of stalactites。 Where was he？ Why had he run away？ She started down the trail…and suddenly with a huge bellow he leapt from behind a stalagmite and swung at her； knocking her down； his laughter filling the cave。 And then he was gone again。
She rose to her knees； panting hard； feeling stupid with terror and inprehension； waiting for the pain to clear from her head。 All was quiet and dark。 The light had gone out。
〃Heee！〃 came the voice from the darkness； and the sound of clapping。
She crouched in the black； cringing； desperate； afraid to move。 A scratching sound； the flare of a match； and the lantern was relit。 And there the monster was； standing over her； leering； drooling； exposing the stumps of his rotten teeth； the lantern casting a dull glow。 He cackled； ducked behind a pillar。
And that's when Corrie finally understood。He was playing hide…and…seek。
She swallowed； trembling； tried to find her voice。 〃You want to play with me？〃
He paused； then squealed a laugh； his wispy beard waggling； his thick lips wet and red； the two…inch nails flashing as his hands alternately opened and clenched。 〃Pway！〃 he cried； advancing toward her。
〃No！〃 she screamed。 〃Wait！ Not that way…！〃
〃Pway！〃 he roared； spittle flying； as he drew back a massive hand。〃Pway！〃 Corrie shrank back； waiting for the inevitable。
And then； suddenly； the thing turned his head。 His grotesque eyes swiveled wetly in their orbits； long brown lashes blinking。 His hand hovered in the air as he looked off into the darkness。
He seemed to be listening。
Then he picked her up； slung her over his shoulder； and once again began moving with fearsome speed。 Corrie was only dimly aware of the confusing procession of galleries and chambers。 She closed her eyes。
And then she felt him stop。 She opened her eyes to a small hole； a mere black tube at the base of a limestone wall。 She felt herself sliding off his shoulder； felt him pushing her feet into the hole。
〃Please； don't…〃 She tried to grab on to the sides； clutching and scratching； nails tearing against the stone。 He placed his hands on her shoulders； gave a brutal thrust； and she slid downward； falling the last few feet and landing hard on the stone floor。
She sat up； dazed and bruised。 He leaned in from above； holding the lantern； and for an instant she had a glimpse of the smooth glassy sides of the pit that surrounded her。
〃Hooo！〃 he called down； and puckered his lips grotesquely at her。
Then his head vanished with the light； and Corrie was left at the bottom of the pit； in utter darkness； alone in the wet； cold silence of the cave。
Sixty
Pendergast slipped silently through the dark galleries of stone； moving as quickly as possible； following the faint worn marks of a trail。
The cave system was enormous and his map showed only a sketchy outline of its true plexity。 The map was wrong in many particulars； and there were entire levels of the cave not shown on it at all。 The cave system was folded in over itself in exceedingly plex ways； making it possible for someone familiar with its secrets…the killer…to move in mere minutes between locations that on the map appeared to be a thousand linear yards apart。 Still； despite its drawbacks； the map was a remarkable piece of work； proving what even the U。S。 Geological Survey maps didn't show： that Kraus's Kaverns was the mere tip of a subterranean iceberg； a vast cave system that honeybed the depths beneath Medicine Creek and the surrounding countryside…of which one node connected with the Ghost Mounds。
Ahead； Pendergast could hear the sound of water。 Another minute brought him to the spot。 Here； a phreatic passage； formed ages before by water under great pressure； cut laterally through the limestone cavern he was following。 Along its floor ran a swift…moving underground stream； the lone remaining vestige of the forces that had originally sculpted these strange； deep corridors。
Pendergast paused at the water； knelt； scooped up a handful； and tasted it。
It was the same water he'd drunk at the Kraus mansion…the water the town tapped into。 He tasted again。 It was； as he'd expected； the very water Lu Yu'sCh'a Ching； the Book of Tea； considered perfect for brewing green tea： oxygenated； mineral…laden water from a free…flowing underground limestone stream。 It was that tea； and the water； that had triggered the revelation that Kraus's Kaverns must be more extensive than the small portion open to the public。 The trip to Topeka had proven him right； had armed him with the map he now held。 But the knowledge had e at a cost。 He had not anticipated Corrie acting on her own； and ing so far in her own deductions…although； in hindsight； it was all too clear that he should have。
He rose from the stream； then paused again。 Something lay on the far side at the faintest perimeter of his flashlight beam； a canvas knapsack； torn apart roughly at the seams。 He crossed the stream and knelt； taking a gold pen from his pocket and using it to pull apart the edges of the cloth。 Inside was a road map； a couple of trowels； and several spare D batteries； the kind used in heavy flashlights and metal detectors。
Pendergast let his light play around the bag