〃How　did　whoever　or　whatever　it　was　that　made　this；　get　here　and　get　away　without　leaving　any　trace　but　this？　Damned　if　I　don't　think　Chiu…Ming's　explanation　puts　less　strain　upon　the　credulity　than　any　I　could　offer。〃
  I　peered　about。　It　was　so。　Except　for　the　mark；　there　was　no　slightest　sign　of　the　unusual；　the　abnormal。
  But　the　mark　was　enough！
  〃I'm　for　pushing　up　a　notch　or　two　and　getting　into　the　gorge　before　dark；〃　he　was　voicing　my　own　thought。　〃I'm　willing　to　face　anything　humanbut　I'm　not　keen　to　be　pressed　into　a　rock　like　a　flower　in　a　maiden's　book　of　poems。〃　　Just　at　twilight　we　drew　out　of　the　valley　into　the　pass。　We　traveled　a　full　mile　along　it　before　darkness　forced　us　to　make　camp。　The　gorge　was　narrow。　The　far　walls　but　a　hundred　feet　away；　but　we　had　no　quarrel　with　them　for　their　neighborliness；　no！　Their　solidity；　their　immutability；　breathed　confidence　back　into　us。
  And　after　we　had　found　a　deep　niche　capable　of　holding　the　entire　caravan　we　filed　within；　ponies　and　all；　I　for　one　perfectly　willing　thus　to　spend　the　night；　let　the　air　at　dawn　be　what　it　would。　We　dined　within　on　bread　and　tea；　and　then；　tired　to　the　bone；　sought　each　his　place　upon　the　rocky　floor。　I　slept　well；　waking　only　once　or　twice　by　Chiu…Ming's　groanings；　his　dreams　evidently　were　none　of　the　pleasantest。　If　there　was　an　aurora　I　neither　knew　nor　cared。　My　slumber　was　dreamless。
  CHAPTER　III
  RUTH　VENTNOR
  The　dawn；　streaming　into　the　niche；　awakened　us。　A　covey　of　partridges　venturing　too　close　yielded　three　to　our　guns。　We　breakfasted　well；　and　a　little　later　were　pushing　on　down　the　cleft。
  Its　descent；　though　gradual；　was　continuous；　and　therefore　I　was　not　surprised　when　soon　we　began　to　come　upon　evidences　of　semi…tropical　vegetation。　Giant　rhododendrons　and　tree　ferns　gave　way　to　occasional　clumps　of　stately　kopek　and　clumps　of　the　hardier　bamboos。　We　added　a　few　snow　cocks　to　our　larderalthough　they　were　out　of　their　habitat；　flying　down　into　the　gorge　from　their　peaks　and　table…lands　for　some　choice　tidbit。
  All　that　day　we　marched　on；　and　when　at　night　we　made　camp；　sleep　came　to　us　quickly　and　overmastering。　An　hour　after　dawn　we　were　on　our　way。　A　brief　stop　we　made　for　lunch；　pressed　forward。
  It　was　close　to　two　when　we　caught　the　first　sight　of　the　ruins。
  The　soaring；　verdure…clad　walls　of　the　canyon　had　long　been　steadily　marching　closer。　Above；　between　their　rims　the　wide　ribbon　of　sky　was　like　a　fantastically　shored　river；　shimmering；　dazzling；　every　cove　and　headland　edged　with　an　opalescent　glimmering　as　of　shining　pearly　beaches。
  And　as　though　we　were　sinking　in　that　sky　stream's　depths　its　light　kept　lessening；　darkening　imperceptibly　with　luminous　shadows　of　ghostly　beryl；　drifting　veils　of　pellucid　aquamarine；　limpid　mists　of　glaucous　chrysolite。
  Fainter；　more　crepuscular　became　the　light；　yet　never　losing　its　crystalline　quality。　Now　the　high　overhead　river　was　but　a　brook；　became　a　thread。　Abruptly　it　vanished。
  We　passed　into　a　tunnel；　fern　walled；　fern　roofed；　garlanded　with　tawny　orchids；　gay　with　carmine　fungus　and　golden　moss。　We　stepped　out　into　a　blaze　of　sunlight。
  Before　us　lay　a　wide　green　bowl　held　in　the　hands　of　the　clustered　hills；　shallow；　circular；　as　though；　while　plastic　still；　the　thumb　of　God　had　run　round　its　rim；　shaping　it。　Around　it　the　peaks　crowded；　craning　their　lofty　heads　to　peer　within。
  It　was　about　a　mile　in　its　diameter；　this　hollow；　as　my　gaze　then　measured　it。　It　had　three　openingsone　that　lay　like　a　crack　in　the　northeast　slope；　another；　the　tunnel　mouth　through　which　we　had　come。　The　third　lifted　itself　out　of　the　bowl；　creeping　up　the　precipitous　bare　scarp　of　the　western　barrier　straight　to　the　north；　clinging　to　the　ochreous　rock　up　and　up　until　it　vanished　around　a　far　distant　shoulder。
  It　was　a　wide　and　bulwarked　road；　a　road　that　spoke　as　clearly　as　though　it　had　tongue　of　human　hands　which　had　cut　it　there　in　the　mountain's　breast。　An　ancient　road　weary　beyond　belief　beneath　the　tread　of　uncounted　years。
  From　the　hollow　the　blind　soul　of　loneliness　groped　out　to　greet　us！
  Never　had　I　felt　such　loneliness　as　that　which　lapped　the　lip　of　the　verdant　bowl。　It　was　tangibleas　though　it　had　been　poured　from　some　reservoir　of　misery。　A　pool　of　despair
  Half　the　width　of　the　valley　away　the　ruins　began。　Weirdly　were　they　its　visible　expression。　They　huddled　in　two　bent　rows　to　the　bottom。　They　crouched　in　a　wide　cluster　against　the　cliffs。　From　the　cluster　a　curving　row　of　them　ran　along　the　southern　crest　of　the　hollow。
  A　flight　of　shattered；　cyclopean　steps　lifted　to　a　ledge　and　here　a　crumbling　fortress　stood。
  Irresistibly　did　the　ruins　seem　a　colossal　hag；　flung　prone；　lying　listlessly；　helplessly；　against　the　barrier's　base。　The　huddled　lower　ranks　were　the　legs；　the　cluster　the　body；　the　upper　row　an　outflung　arm　and　above　the　neck　of　the　stairway　the　ancient　fortress；　rounded　and　with　two　huge　ragged　apertures　in　its　northern　front　was　an　aged；　bleached　and　withered　head　staring；　watching。
  I　looked　at　Drakethe　spell　of　the　bowl　was　heavy　upon　him；　his　face　drawn。　The　Chinaman　and　Tibetan　were　murmuring；　terror　written　large　upon　them。
  〃A　hell　of　a　joint！〃　Drake　turned　to　me；　a　shadow　of　a　grin　lightening　the　distress　on　his　face。　〃But　I'd　rather　chance　it　than　go　back。　What　d'you　say？〃
  I　nodded；　curiosity　mastering　my　oppression。　We　stepped　over　the　rim；　rifles　on　the　alert。　Close　behind　us　crowded　the　two　servants　and　the　ponies。
  The　vale　was　shallow；　as　I　have　said。　We　trod　the　fragments　of　an　olden　approach　to　the　green　tunnel　so　the　descent　was　not　difficult。　Here　and　there　beside　the　path　upreared　huge　broken　blocks。　On　them　I　thought　I　could　see　faint　tracings　as　of　carvingsnow　a　suggestion　of　gaping；　arrow…fanged　dragon　jaws；　now　the　outline　of　a　scaled　body；　a　hint　of　enormous；　batlike　wings。
  Now　we　had　reached　the　first　of　the　crumbling　piles　that　stretched　down　into　the　valley's　center。
  Half　fainting；　I　fell　against　Drake；　clutching　to　him　for　support。
  A　stream　of　utter　hopelessness　was　racing　upon　us；　swirling　and　eddying　around　us；　reaching　to　our　hearts　with　ghostly　fingers　dripping　with　despair。　From　every　shattered　heap　it　seemed　to　pour；　rushing　down　the　road　upon　us　like　a　torrent；　engulfing　us；　submerging；　drowning。
  Unseen　it　wasyet　tangible　as　water；　it　sapped　the　life　from　every　nerve。　Weariness　filled　me；　a　desire　to　drop　upon　the　stones；　to　be　rolled　away。　To　die。　I　felt　Drake's　body　quivering　even　as　mine；　knew　that　he　was　drawing　upon　every　reserve　of　strength。
  〃Steady；〃　he　muttered。　〃Steady〃
  The　Tibetan　shrieked　and　fled；　the　ponies　scrambling　after　him。　Dimly　I　remembered　that　mine　carried　precious　specimens；　a　surge　of　anger　passed；　beating　back　the　anguish。　I　heard　a　sob　from　Chiu…Ming；　saw　him　drop。
  Drake　stopped；　drew　him　to　his　feet。　We　placed　him　between　us；　thrust　each　an　arm　through　his　own。　Then；　like　swimmers；　heads　bent；　we　pushed　on；　buffeting　that　inexplicable　invisible　flood。
  As　the　path　rose；　its　force　lessened；　my　vitality　grew；　and　the　terrible　desire　to　yield　and　be　swept　away　waned。　Now　we　had　reached　the　foot　of　the　cyclopean　stairs；　now　we　were　half　up　themand　now　as　we　struggled　out　upon　the　ledge　on　which　the　watching　fortress　stood；　the　clutching　stream　shoaled　swiftly；　the　shoal　became　safe；　dry　land　and　the　cheated；　unseen　maelstrom　swirled　harmlessly　beneath　us。
  We　stood　erect；　gasping　for　breath；　again　like　swimmers　who　have　fought　their　utmost　and　barely；　so　barely；　won。
  There　was　an　almost　imperceptible　movement　at　the　side　of　the　ruined　portal。
  Out　darted　a　girl。　A　rifle　dropped　from　her　hands。　Straight　she　sped　toward　me。
  And　as　she　ran　I　recognized　her。
  Ruth　Ventnor！
  The　flying　figure　reached　me；　threw　soft　arms　around　my　neck；　was　weeping　in　relieved　gladness　on　my　shoulder。
  〃Ruth！〃　I　cried。　〃What　on　earth　are　YOU　doing　here？〃
  〃Walter！〃　she　sobbed。　〃Walter　GoodwinOh；　thank　God！　Thank　God！〃
  She　drew　herself　from　my　arms；　catching　her　breath；　laughed　shakily。
  I　took　swift　stock　of　her。　Save　for　fear　upon　her；　she　was　the　same　Ruth　I　had　known　three　years　before；　wide；　deep　blue　eyes　that　were　now　all　seriousness；　now　sparkling　wells　of　mischief；　petite；　rounded　and　tender；　the　fairest　skin；　an　impudent　little　nose；　shining　clusters　of　intractable　curls；　all　human；　sparkling　and　sweet。
  Drake　coughed；　insinuatingly。　I　introduced　him。
  〃II　watched　you　struggling　through　that　dreadful　pit。〃　She　shuddered。　〃I　could　not　see　who　you　were；　did　not　know　whether　friend　or　enemybut　oh；　my　heart　almost　died　in　pity　for　you；　Walter；〃　she　breathed。　〃What　can　it　beTHERE？〃
  I　shook　my　head。
  〃Martin　could　not　see　you；〃　she　went　on。　〃He　was　watching　the　road　that　leads　above。　But　I　ran　downto　help。〃
  〃Mart　watching？〃　I　asked。　〃Watching　for　what？〃
  〃I〃　she　hesitated　oddly。　〃I　think　I'd　rather　tell　you　before　him。　It's　so　strangeso　incredible。〃
  She　led　us　through　the　broken　portal　and　into　the　fortress。　It　was　more　gigantic　even　than　I　had　thought。　The　floor　of　the　vast　chamber　we　had　entered　was　strewn　with　fragments　fallen　from　the　crackling；　stone…vaulted　ceiling。　Through　the　breaks