e know of this place except Galazi, myself and the
wolves, and none shall find it. Now I must be going to find Galazi, if
he still lives; if not, to make what play I can against the Slayers,
alone with the wolves."

Now Nada wept, saying that she feared to be left, and that she should
never see him more, and her grief rung his heart. Nevertheless,
Umslopogaas kissed her and went, closing the stone after him in that
fashion of which he had spoken. When the stone was shut the cave was
almost dark, except for a ray of light that entered by a hole little
larger than a man's hand, that, looked at from within, was on the right
of the stone. Nada sat herself so that this ray struck full on her, for
she loved light, and without it she would pine as flowers do. There
she sat and thought in the darksome cave, and was filled with fear and
sorrow. And while she brooded thus, suddenly the ray went out, and she
heard a noise as of some beast that smells at prey. She looked, and in
the gloom she saw the sharp nose and grinning fangs of a wolf that were
thrust towards her through the little hole.

Nada cried aloud in fear, and the fangs were snatched back, but
presently she heard a scratching without the cave, and saw the stone
shake. Then she thought in her foolishness that the wolf knew how to
open the stone, and that he would do this, and devour her, for she had
heard the tale that all these wolves were the ghosts of evil men, having
the understanding of men. So, in her fear and folly, she seized the rock
and dragged on it as Umslopogaas had shown her how to do. It shook, it
slipped over the socket ledge, and rolled home like a pebble down the
mouth of a gourd.

"Now I am safe from the wolves," said Nada. "See, I cannot so much as
stir the stone from within." And she laughed a little, then ceased from
laughing and spoke again. "Yet it would be ill if Umslopogaas came
back no more to roll away that rock, for then I should be like one in a
grave--as one who is placed in a grave being yet strong and quick." She
shuddered as she thought of it, but presently started up and set her
ear to the hole to listen, for from far down the mountain there rose a
mighty howling and a din of men.

When Umslopogaas had shut the cave, he moved swiftly down the mountain,
and with him went certain of the wolves; not all, for he had not
summoned them. His heart was heavy, for he feared that Galazi was no
more. Also he was mad with rage, and plotted in