of the snow slope.

As he spoke a faint sound reached their ears, for in those immense
silences sound can travel far. It was Otter shouting, and his words
seemed to be, "Come on, Baas; it is easy."

"I am glad he is safe," said Juanna faintly, "but now we must follow
him. Take my handkerchief, Leonard, and tie it over my eyes, please, for
I cannot bear to look. The idol's head was nothing to this."

Leonard obeyed her, bidding her not to be afraid.

"Oh! but I am terribly afraid," she said. "I never was so much
frightened in all my life, and I--I have lost the jewels! Leonard, do
forgive me for behaving so badly to you. I know that I have behaved
badly in many ways, though I have been too proud to admit it before. But
now, when I am going to die, I want to beg your pardon. I hope you will
think kindly of me, Leonard, when I am dead, for I do love you with
all my heart, indeed I do." And tears began to roll down beneath the
bandage.

"Dearest," he answered, kissing her tenderly, "as we are tied together,
it seems that if you die I must die too. Do not break down now after you
have borne so much."

"It is the jewels," she sobbed, "the jewels; I feel as though I had
committed a murder."

"Oh! bother the jewels!" said Leonard. "We can think about them
afterwards." And he advanced towards the flat stone, Juanna feeling the
while as though they were two of Carrier's victims about to know the
Marriage of the Loire.

As they came to the stone Leonard heard a sound behind him, a sound of
footsteps muffled by the snow, and glancing round he saw Soa rushing
towards them, almost naked, a spear-wound in her side, and the light of
madness shining in her eyes.

"Get back," he said sternly, "or----" and he lifted the great spear.

"Oh! Shepherdess," she wailed, "take me with you, Shepherdess, for I
cannot live without you."

"Tell her to go away," said Juanna, recognising the voice; "I never want
to see her any more."

"You hear, Soa," answered Leonard. "Stay, how has it gone yonder? Speak
truly."

"I know not, Deliverer; when I left, Olfan and his brother still held
the mouth of the tunnel and were unhurt, but the captain was dead. I
slipped past them and got this as I went," and she pointed to the gash
in her side.

"If he can hold out a little longer, help may reach him," muttered
Leonard. Then without more words, he laid himself and Juanna face
downwards on the broad stone.

"Now, Juanna," he said, "we are goin