tain land; for the watchings
and tramps of the two adventurers had pretty well used up the hours of
darkness; and, black though the snow lay where Bill Gedge knelt, right
beyond, straight away upon the mighty peak overhead, there was a tiny
point of glowing orange light, looking like the tip of some huge spear
that was heated red-hot.

For the supplicant was gazing heavenward, and between the sky and his
eyes there towered up one of the huge peaks of the Karakoram range,
receiving the first touch of the coming day.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE LIGHT THAT CAME.

Gedge knelt there gazing upward, unable to grasp the truth of that which
he saw; for all around him seemed blacker than ever; but as he looked
there was another glowing speck high up in the distance, and then
another and another started into sight, while the first he had seen went
on increasing in brightness; and, as he still kept his eyes fixed upon
it, the fact came to him at last--the belief that it was indeed the sun
lighting up the glittering peaks of the vast range--and he started to
his feet with a cry of exultation.

"Why, it is to-morrow morning!" he shouted. "Ah! I can help him now."

But for a time he could only wait on patiently, and watch the bright
glow extending, and stealing slowly downward, in a way which suggested
that it would be hours before the spot where he stood would be lit up by
the full light of day; and, hardly daring to move, he listened, and
twice over gave one of his long, piercing whistles, which were echoed
and re-echoed in a way which made him shudder and hesitate to raise the
strange sounds again.

"It's o' no use," he said. "He's gone down there, and he's dead--he's
dead; and I shall never see him again.--Yah! yer great snivelling
idjit!" he cried the next moment, in his rage against himself. "The old
woman was right when I 'listed. She said I wasn't fit for a sojer--no
good for nothing but to stop at home, carry back the washing, and turn
the mangle. I'm ashamed o' myself. My word, though, the fog's not so
thick, but ain't it cold! If I don't do something I shall freeze hard,
and not be able to help him when it gets light."

It was a fact; for, consequent upon standing still so long, a peculiar
numbing sensation began to attack his extremities, and it was none too
soon when he felt his way down the slope for a few yards, and then
turned to climb again. A very short time longer, and he would have been
unable