she understood
how serious was their plight.

"We can go back together by the trough, can't we?" But even as she
asked, her heart sank at the thought of facing again that dizzy height.
The moment of horror when she had thought herself lost had shaken her
nerve.

"It would be difficult."

The glance of the girl swept again the face of the wall he must cross.
It could not be done without a rope. Her fear-filled eyes came back to
his.

"It's my fault. I made you come," she said in a low voice.

"Nonsense," he answered cheerfully. "There's no harm done. If I can't
reach the stairway I can come back and go down by the trough."

Sheba assented doubtfully.

It had come on to drizzle again. The rain was fine and cold, almost a
mist, and already it was forming a film of ice on the rocks.

"I can't take time to go back by the trough. The point is that I don't
want you camped up here after night. There has been no sun on this side
of the spur and in the chill of the evening it must get cold even in
summer."

He was making his preparations as he talked. His coat he took off and
threw down. His shoes he tied by the laces to his belt.

"I'll try not to be very long," he promised.

"It's God's will then, so it is," she sighed, relapsing into the
vernacular.

Her voice was low and not very steady, for the heart of the girl was
heavy. She knew she must not protest his decision. That was not the way
to play the game. But somehow the salt had gone from their light-hearted
adventure. She had become panicky from the moment when her feet had
started the rubble in the trough and gone flying into the air. The
gayety that had been the note of their tramp had given place to fears.

Elliot took her little hand in a warm, strong grip. "You're not going to
be afraid. We'll work out all right, you know."

"Yes."

"It's not just the thing to leave a lady in the rain when you take her
for a walk, but it can't be helped. We'll laugh about it to-morrow."

Would they? she wondered, answering his smile faintly. Her courage was
sapped. She wanted to cry out that he must not try the traverse, but she
set her will not to make it harder for him.

He turned to the climb.

"You've forgotten your coat," she reminded.

"I'm traveling light this trip. You'd better slip it on before you get
chilled."

Sheba knew he had left it on purpose for her.

Her fascinated eyes followed him while he moved out from the
plateau across the face of t