rds her, "and if only
we survive and I am the means of enabling him to fulfil his vow and
buy back his home with these jewels, I shall not regret all that I have
endured to win them. Yes, even when he is no longer so very much in
love, he must always be grateful to me, for few women will have done as
much for their husbands."

Then Nam staggered past her, hissing curses, while the untiring Otter
rained blows upon his back, and losing sight of Olfan and his companions
they went on in safety, till they reached the neck and saw the
ice-bridge glittering before them and the wide fields of snow beyond.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

THE TRIUMPH OF NAM

"Which way are we to go now?" said Juanna; "must we climb down this
great gulf?"

"No, Shepherdess," answered Otter; "see, before you is a bridge," and he
pointed to the band of ice and rock which traversed the wide ravine.

"A bridge?" gasped Juanna, "why it is as slippery as a slide and steep
as the side of a house. A fly could not keep its footing on it."

"Look here, Otter," put in Leonard, "either you are joking or you are
mad. How can we cross that place? We should be dashed to pieces before
we had gone ten yards."

"Thus, Baas: we must sit each of us on one of the flat stones that lie
round here, then the stone will take us across of itself. I know, for I
have tried it."

"Do you mean to tell me that you have been over there on a rock?"

"No, Baas, but I have sent three stones over. Two crossed safely, I
watched them go the whole way, and one vanished in the middle. I think
that there is a hole there, but we must risk that. If the stone is heavy
enough it will jump it, if not, then we shall go down the hole and be no
more troubled."

"Great heavens!" said Leonard, wiping his forehead with the back of his
hand, "this is practical tobogganing with a vengeance. Is there no other
way?"

"I can see none, Baas, except for the birds, and I think that we had
better stop talking and make ready, for the priests are still behind us.
If you will watch on the neck here so that we are not surprised, I will
seek stones to carry us."

"How about this man?" said Leonard, pointing to Nam, who lay face
downwards on the snow, apparently in a dead faint.

"Oh! we must keep him a while, Baas; he may be useful if those priests
come. If not, I will talk with him before we start. He is asleep and
cannot run away."

Then Leonard went to the top of the neck, which was distant some twen