APTER XL

OTTER'S FAREWELL

The night which followed, Leonard is wont to declare, proved to be the
very worst that he ever spent in his life. Notwithstanding his intense
weariness, he could not sleep, his nerves were too shattered to allow
of it. Whenever he shut his eyes, he saw himself hanging head downwards
over the oubliette in the cell beneath the idol, or flying through the
air across the dreadful gap in the ice-bridge, or in some other position
of terror, similar to those with which they had made such intimate
acquaintance of late. Did these visions cease, from time to time he
seemed to hear the voice of Francisco bidding him farewell, the yell of
Soa falling to her dreadful death, or Nam raving his last defiance at
them. Also his hurts, which were many, gave him great pain, and though
the climate here was mild, the breeze from the snow heights chilled him
through, and they had not even a match wherewith to light a fire and
scare the wild beasts that roared about them.

Rarely have three human beings been in a position more desolate
and desperate than that in which they found themselves this night,
exhausted, unarmed, almost without food or clothing, and wandering they
knew not where through the vastness of Central Africa. Unless some help
found them, as Leonard was aware, they must perish of starvation, by the
fangs of lions, or the spears of natives. It was impossible that they
could live through another week, and the thought came into his mind that
it would be well for them if they died that night and had done with it.

It would be well; yes, and it would have been better if he had been laid
by the side of his brother Tom before ever he listened to Soa's accursed
tale of the People of the Mist and their treasure of rubies. Only then
he would never have known Juanna, for she must have died in the slave
camp.

This was the fruit of putting faith in the visions of dying men. And
yet, it was strange, he had _nearly_ got the money and "by the help of
a woman," for those rubies would have sufficed to buy back Outram ten
times over. But, alas! nearly is not quite. That dream was done with,
and even if they escaped, it would be to find himself more utterly
beggared than before, for now he would be a married beggar.

At last the night wore away and the dawn came, but Juanna did not wake
until the sun was high. Leonard, who had crept to a little distance--for
now he was quite unable to walk--saw her sit up and cra