Part 59 (1/2)

Leonard obeyed, and seating hie of the ice, the dwarf put out his strength and began to pull her up Strong as he was, it proved as much as he was able to do; indeed, had Juanna lain on any other material than ice, he could not have done it at all But in the end he succeeded, and with a gasp of gratitude Leonard saw her stretched safe upon the snow

Now Otter, hastily undoing the cord fro noose which he thren to Leonard, who placed it over his shoulders Having lifted the spear from the cleft in which it stood, he coony, and no wonder, for the blood from wounds that had been caused by the friction of his flesh as he was hurled along the surface of the slide, had congealed, freezing his limbs to the ice, whence they could not easily be loosened The pain, sharp as it was, did hiies and enabled hith, while Otter tugged at that which was beneath his arms

Well for hi down this second line, for presently Otter's stake, which had no fir Leonard as it passed and bearing the knotted lengths of the cloak with it The dwarf cried aloud and bent forward as though he were about to fall By a fearful effort he recovered himself and held fast the rope in his hand, while Leonard, suspended by it, swung to and fro on the surface of the ice like the pendulum of a clock

Then followed the ainst the difficulties of this merciless place The dwarf held fast above, and Leonard, ceasing to swing, lay with hands and legs outstretched on the face of the ice

”Now, Baas,” said Otter, ”be brave, and when I pull, do you wriggle forward”

He tugged till the thin hide rope stretched, while Leonard clawed and kicked at the ice with his toes, knees, and disengaged hand

Alas! it gave no hold--he lass at an angle of sixty degrees

”Rest awhile, Baas,” said the dwarf, whose breath was coreat sobs, ”then make a little nick in the ice with the blade of the spear, and when next I pull, try to set soht upon it”

Leonard did as he was bid without speaking

”Now,” said the dwarf, and with a push and a struggle Leonard o feet higher up the incline Again the process was repeated, and this tiot his left hand into the lowest of the two steps that Otter had hacked with the knife, and once more they paused for breath A third effort, the fiercest of the like a frightened child above the glacier's lip

The ordeal was over, that danger was done with, but at what a cost!

Leonard's nerves were co, his nails were broken, and the bone of one knee was exposed by the friction of the ice, to say nothing of the shock to the system and the bruises which he had received when he was hurled from the stone Otter's condition was a little better, but his hands were cut by the rope and he was utterly exhausted with toil and the strain of suspense Indeed, of the three Juanna had co of the passage of the bridge, and when they were jerked frohter than Leonard, she had fallen upon hioat-skin cloak which rapped about her had protected her fro cuts and bruises Of their horrible position when they were hanging to the spear, and the rest of the adventure, including the death of Soa, she knew nothing, and it ell for her reason that this was so

”Otter,” ourd of spirit?”

”No, Baas, it is safe”

”Thank Heaven!” he said; ”hold it to my lips if you can”

The dwarf lifted it with a treulped down the fiery liquor

”That's better,” he said; ”take some yourself”

”Nay, Baas, I have sworn to touch drink no ly; ”besides you and the Shepherdess ant it all I have some food here and I will eat”

”What happened to Soa, Otter?”

”I could not see rightly, Baas, I was too frightened, htened than I had been when I rode the stone ht in the ice on this side of the hole, and so she fell It was a good end for her, the vicious old cow!” he added, with a touch of satisfaction

”It was very near being a bad end for us,” answered Leonard, ”but we have ed to come out of it alive somehow Not for all the rubies in the world would I cross that place again”

”Nor I, Baas _Wow!_ it ful Now h reen and blue, and devils shouted at me out of it Yes, and when I came to the hole, there I saw the Water-Dweller all fashi+oned in fire waiting with an open mouth to eat s, Baas, and that is why I have sworn to touch it no h the air and saw the fla Water-Dweller beneath me And now, Baas, I am a little rested, so let us try and wake up the Shepherdess, and get us gone”