Part 51 (1/2)

”Yebo, 'Ngonyaonyama; listen, Indhlovu (elephant) There is a path for the lion in the veld, and another for the elephant in the forest; but this path is only for those who know it, and are welcome to those who onyaht Mid the warmth”

”If ye have trodden the way, so e Lead on”

”Ye lose your wisdoo;” and she went froe, in which they encountered the blast laden with moisture, that made the walls slimy and the floor a series of puddles

The as dark, and they splashed and stu discomfort in the footsteps of the leader, who kept on at a quick walk, showing a thorough fae Sometimes, as they could tell frohts; at others it closed in till they had to stoop their heads But their guide kept on without a pause, and presently, to their great relief, they saw ahead a faint reflection of the light upon a wet slab of rock Hurrying on, they ee into a vast chauish each other, they could not see Mr Hume took a step forward, with his face turned up, in an effort to see the roof through the filonya;” and the woman's hand restrained him

He started back involuntarily, for at his feet there was a yawning abyss, out of which ca wraiths of vapours, but so deep and so dark that the eye could detect no gleaonyama, remember I stood between you and death that tioing on a ledge which skirted the yawning abyss

It was a perilous passage, and both of theone a few steps, if the woo seized the away fro over out of sheer dizziness When they didof helplessness, expecting every moment to slip on the slimy rock, and the further they advanced the worse they felt, for it would be as bad to turn back as go on Looking back, Mr Huroped for aby its reflection, Mr Hume blew it out, and placed his heavy hand on the boy's shoulders to steady hi you could do,” he said

”It's so dark,” one ahead safely enough”

They stood for soather comfort from the touch of each other's hands

”I aood Keep your eyes raised and your shoulder to the wall

Forward!”

They crept rather than walked round that fearful gallery, traversing the unknown height with the roar of waters co up fro the darkness visible as they curled upwards to disappear into the vast vault

”If I can only get safe out of this,” thought Venning at each step, ”I will never try to leave the valley again by this way”

The valley was only a few hundred yards away, but it seeo Every second had been charged with a new sensation since he left the brightness outside, and each sloary, suspicious movement he made had in it a whole sequence of fears Would he slip? ”Would his foot fall on firrab hi--he was sure there was so on him? Would that woman's hand suddenly shoot out fro? Was it never co worse than ever!

It would be easier to crawl! Of course it would He went down on his hands and knees and laughed, because it was so easy There was soed about and hit hiripped hierly, and laughed again His carbine! What was the use of a carbine there? No good, of course What a joke to throw it down and hear the splash, or, better, to fire it off and hear the echoes!

”Venning!”

The boy chuckled as he sat on the ledge tugging at the buckle

”Why, lad!”

The great hands closed on the boy, lifted hihtly as the man felt his ith his feet He counted his steps, assuring himself that before he caonya, rew fainter

”Wait--wait, O mother of chiefs, for the way is dark, and we onyama, it matters not”