wy sea of
giant heads towering over the darkling grey of desolate valleys and
gloomy rifts now merging into night. But all is utter lifelessness in
the complete silence of its desolation--not a sound breaks upon the now
fresh and cooling air--not a sight to tell of life and animation--save
the ghostly wings of the great vultures floating away into space. Then
the sun sinks down behind the further ridge in ruddy sea, leaving the
impression that, the whole world is on fire, until the lustrous
afterglow fades into the grey shades of gloaming.

"No time for the beauties of Nature," went on Renshaw, as his companion,
rising from his prostrate posture, rejoined him. "Look. There is our
way up, if we are to get up at all. And a precious cranky staircase it
is, too."

It was. A steep, stony gully, looking as if, in past ages, it had
served for a water-shoot round the extremity of the razor-backed ridge.
It ran right down to the brink of the projection whereon they were
standing, and, in fact, to reach it, at any rate with the horses, was a
very risky feat indeed. Sellon suggested leaving them below--but this
his companion would not hear of.

"Stick to the horses, wherever possible," he said. "Once lose them, we
are like a man in mid-ocean with oars but no sail. Besides, we may find
another way down--a much better one than this."

A dozen yards of steep slope, right on the brink of the abyss, covered
with loose shingle, had to be crossed prior to gaining the secure
foothold of the gully itself. A false step, a jerk back of the bridle
on the part of the led horse, might send steed, or rider, or both, into
space.

"Up, old horse!" said Renshaw, encouragingly, as he took the lead. His
steady old roadster, however, fully took in the situation. He gave one
snort, a scramble or two, and he was safe within the gully.

But Sellon's steed was disposed to show less gumption. At first he
refused to try the place at all; then nearly hurled his master over the
brink by rucking at the bridle when half-way across; and the hideously
suggestive sound of a shower of loosened rubble sliding into the abyss
fairly made his said master's blood curdle. However, with much snorting
and scrambling, he ultimately suffered himself to be led into safety.

The ascent was now comparatively easy, though with horses it was a
tedious and tiresome business. The gully itself formed a huge natural
staircase, seemingly about a couple of hundre