soap and water, and some few spare garments which he had
sent to Leonard, would allow, and were now sitting in the sun outside
the tent. He advanced, lifting his helmet, and they rose to meet him.

"I suppose that I had better introduce myself," he said with some
hesitation, for he was a shy man. "I am an English traveller, doing a
little exploring on my own account, for lack of any other occupation,
and my name is Sydney Wallace."

"Mine is Leonard Outram," answered Leonard, "and this young lady is Miss
Juanna Rodd."

Mr. Wallace started and bowed again. So they were _not_ married!

"We are deeply indebted to you, sir," went on Leonard; "for you have
rescued us from death."

"Not at all," answered Mr. Wallace. "You must thank that servant of
yours, the dwarf, and not me, for if he had not seen us, I should have
passed a mile or more to the left of you. The fact is that I am rather
fond of mountaineering, and seeing this great peak above us--I am told
that it is the highest in the Bisa-Mushinga Mountains--I thought that
I might as well have a try at it before I turn homewards, _via_ Lake
Nyassa, Livingstonia, Blantyre, and Quilimane. But perhaps you will not
mind telling me how you came to be here. I have heard something from the
dwarf, but his tale seems a little too steep."

"I am afraid you will think ours rather steeper, Mr. Wallace,"
said Leonard, and he proceeded to give him a short outline of their
adventures.

When he came to their arrival among the People of the Mist, and
described the inauguration of Otter and Juanna as gods in the temple of
the colossus, he noticed that his auditor had let the eyeglass fall from
his round eye, and was regarding him with mild amazement.

"I am afraid that all this does not interest you," said Leonard stiffly.

"On the contrary, Mr. Outram, it interests me very much. I am
exceedingly fond of romances, and this is rather a good one."

"As I thought; it is scarcely worth while to go on," said Leonard again.
"Well, I cannot wonder that you do not believe me."

"Leonard," interposed Juanna quietly, "you still have the star ruby;
show it to Mr. Wallace!"

He did so, somewhat sulkily, and then, as he seemed disinclined to say
anything more, Juanna took up the tale, showing in evidence of its truth
the spear, the frayed rope, and the tattered white robe which she had
worn in her character of Aca, and, indeed, still wore beneath poor
Francisco's cassock--for she had no ot