en could see them both vanishing into
tunnels to the right and left, but far apart.

The second notable thing was that the right-hand groove, where first we
saw it at the point of separation, was not polished like the left-hand
groove, although at some time or other it seemed to have been subjected
to the pressure of the same terrific weight which cut its fellow out of
the bed of rock or iron, as the sharp wheels of a heavily laden wagon
sink ruts into a roadway.

"What does it all mean, Lord Oro?" I asked when he had led us back to
the spot where the one groove began to be two grooves, that is, a mile
or so away from the razor-edged cliff.

"This, Humphrey," he answered. "That which travels along yonder road,
when it reaches this spot on which we stand, follows the left-hand path
which is made bright with its passage. Yet, could a giant at that moment
of its touching this exact spot on which I lay my hand, thrust it with
sufficient strength, it would leave the left-hand road and take the
right-hand road."

"And if it did, what then; Lord Oro?"

"Then within an hour or so, when it had travelled far enough upon its
way, the balance of the earth would be changed, and great things would
happen in the world above, as once they happened in bygone days. Now do
you understand, Humphrey?"

"Good Heavens! Yes, I understand now," I answered. "But fortunately
there is no such giant."

Oro broke into a mocking laugh and his grey old face lit up with a
fiendish exultation, as he cried:

"Fool! I, Oro, am that giant. Once in the dead days I turned the balance
of the world from the right-hand road which now is dull with disuse, to
the left-hand road which glitters so brightly to your eyes, and the face
of the earth was changed. Now again I will turn it from the left-hand
road to the right-hand road in which for millions of years it was wont
to run, and once more the face of the earth shall change, and those who
are left living upon the earth, or who in the course of ages shall come
to live upon the new earth, must bow down to Oro and take him and his
seed to be their gods and kings."

When I heard this I was overwhelmed and could not answer. Also I
remembered a certain confused picture which Yva had shown to us in the
Temple of Nyo. But supported by his disbelief, Bickley asked:

"And how often does the balance of which you speak come this way, Lord
Oro?"

"Once only in many years; the number is my secret, Bickley," he r