he motioned to all of
us to stand close to her, and, stooping, lifted Tommy in her arms. Next
moment that marvel happened which I have described already, and we were
whirling downwards through space, to find ourselves in a very little
time standing safe in the caves of Nyo, breathless with the swiftness of
our descent. How and on what we descended neither I nor the others ever
learned. It was and must remain one of the unexplained mysteries of our
great experience.

"Whither now, Yva?" I asked, staring about me at the radiant vastness.

"The Lord Oro would speak with you, Humphrey. Follow. And I pray you all
do not make him wrath, for his mood is not gentle."

So once more we proceeded down the empty streets of that underground
abode which, except that it was better illuminated, reminded me of the
Greek conception of Hades. We came to the sacred fountain over which
stood the guardian statue of Life, pouring from the cups she held the
waters of Good and Ill that mingled into one health-giving wine.

"Drink, all of you," she said; "for I think before the sun sets again
upon the earth we shall need strength, every one of us."

So we drank, and she drank herself, and once more felt the blood go
dancing through our veins as though the draught had been some nectar of
the gods. Then, having extinguished the lanterns which we still carried,
for here they were needless, and we wished to save our oil, we followed
her through the great doors into the vast hall of audience and advanced
up it between the endless, empty seats. At its head, on the dais
beneath the arching shell, sat Oro on his throne. As before, he wore the
jewelled cap and the gorgeous, flowing robes, while the table in front
of him was still strewn with sheets of metal on which he wrote with a
pen, or stylus, that glittered like a diamond or his own fierce eyes.
Then he lifted his head and beckoned to us to ascend the dais.

"You are here. It is well," he said, which was all his greeting. Only
when Tommy ran up to him he bent down and patted the dog's head with his
long, thin hand, and, as he did so, his face softened. It was evident to
me that Tommy was more welcome to him than were the rest of us.

There was a long silence while, one by one, he searched us with his
piercing glance. It rested on me, the last of the three of us, and from
me travelled to Yva.

"I wonder why I have sent for you?" he said at length, with a mirthless
laugh. "I think it must be t