teps taken with his face flat to the rock, he
found himself again on a narrow trail which threaded its way over a
yawning chasm. He moved slowly, shuffling one foot ahead and dragging
the other after it. In this way he had gone perhaps one hundred feet
when the path seemed to come to an abrupt end. His foot dangled over
nothing. He almost lost his balance. When he recovered himself, he was
so weak and dizzy that it was with difficulty he clung to the rock. In
a moment he was able to think. He had been moving on a downward slope
and it was probable that this was only a more abrupt descent in the
shape of steps. One thing was sure: the path did not end here, if it
really was a path, and not a chance formation. The opposite ledge had
constantly receded until it was now some thirty feet distant. The path
upon which he stood had narrowed until it was scarcely over eighteen
inches wide at this spot. There was one other possibility: the ledge
at this point might have crumbled and fallen. In his progress he had
loosened many stones which rattled downwards out of hearing.

He secured a good balance on his left foot and cautiously lowered
the other. Inch by inch he groped down keeping his arms as far
outstretched as possible. Finally his toe touched something solid.
He ventured an inch farther at the risk of losing his balance. He
found a more secure footing and, taking a chance, rested his full
weight. The base was firm and he drew down the other foot. He was on a
wider path than that above. He paused here for the effort had made his
breath come short. It was more the mental than the physical
strain which had weakened him. It was nerve-racking work. The dark
and the silence oppressed him. There was almost a tomb-like effect
in this slit of the earth where man had not been for centuries.
Once he had ventured to shout to Stubbs but his voice had sounded so
muffled and the effort had produced in him such a panicky feeling
that he did not try it again.

Once more he shuffled forward and once more his foot dangled over
nothing. But he had gained more confidence now and lowered it to find
another firm base. Two more steps came after this, and then the path
proceeded on the level once more. He had gone some forty paces on this
last lap when he was brought up against a face of solid rock. He moved
his hands over it as far as possible in every direction, but he could
not detect any boundaries. It appeared to be a part of the cliff
itse