their　material　was　ample。　Before　the　evening　they　had　blocked　it
  completely　with　a　wall　several　feet　in　thickness；　which　wall　they
  supported　on　the　inside　with　lengths　of　the　firewood　lashed　across　to
  the　old　hinges　and　bolt…holes；　or　set　obliquely　against　its　face。
  It　was　done；　and　they　regarded　their　work　with　pride；　although　it
  seemed　probable　that　they　were　building　up　their　own　tomb。　Because　of
  its　position　at　an　angle　of　the　passage；　they　knew　that　Meyer　could
  not　get　to　it　with　a　pole　to　batter　it　down。　Also；　there　was　no　loose
  powder　left；　so　his　only　chance　would　be　to　pull　it　to　pieces　with　his
  hands；　and　this；　they　thought；　might　be　beyond　his　power。　At　least；
  should　he　attempt　it；　they　would　have　ample　warning。　Yet　that　day　was
  not　to　pass　without　another　trouble。
  Just　as　they　had　rolled　up　and　levered　into　place　a　long　fragment　of
  rock　designed　to　prevent　the　ends　of　their　supporting　pieces　of　wood
  from　slipping　on　the　cement　floor；　Mr。　Clifford　uttered　an
  exclamation；　then　said：
  〃I　have　wrung　my　back　badly。　Help　me　to　the　tent。　I　must　lie　down。〃
  Slowly　and　with　great　pain　they　staggered　up　the　cave；　Mr。　Clifford
  leaning　on　Benita　and　a　stick；　till；　reaching　the　tent　at　last；　he
  almost　fell　on　to　the　blankets　and　remained　there　practically
  crippled。
  Now　began　Benita's　terrible　time；　the　worst　of　all　her　life。　Every
  hour　her　father　became　more　ill。　Even　before　they　took　refuge　in　the
  cave　he　was　completely　broken　down；　and　now　after　this　accident　he
  began　to　suffer　very　much。　His　rheumatism　or　sciatica；　or　whatever　it
  was；　seemed　to　settle　upon　the　hurt　muscles　of　his　back；　causing　him
  so　much　pain　that　he　could　scarcely　sleep　for　ten　minutes　at　a
  stretch。　Moreover；　he　would　swallow　but　little　of　the　rough　food　which
  was　all　Benita　was　able　to　prepare　for　him；　nothing；　indeed；　except
  biscuit　soaked　in　black　coffee；　which　she　boiled　over　a　small　fire
  made　of　wood　that　they　had　brought　with　them；　and　occasionally　a
  little　broth；　tasteless　stuff　enough；　for　it　was　only　the　essence　of
  biltong；　or　sun…dried　flesh；　flavoured　with　some　salt。
  Then　there　were　two　other　terrors　against　she　must　fight；　the　darkness
  and　the　dread　of　Jacob　Meyer。　Perhaps　the　darkness　was　the　worse　of
  them。　To　live　in　that　hideous　gloom　in　which　their　single　lamp；　for
  she　dared　burn　no　more　lest　the　oil　should　give　out；　seemed　but　as　one
  star　to　the　whole　night；　ah！　who　that　had　not　endured　it　could　know
  what　it　meant？　There　the　sick　man；　yonder　the　grinning　skeletons；
  around　the　blackness　and　the　silence；　and　beyond　these　again　a
  miserable　death；　or　Jacob　Meyer。　But　of　him　Benita　saw　nothing；　though
  once　or　twice　she　thought　that　she　heard　his　voice　raving　outside　the
  wall　which　they　had　built。　If　so；　either　he　did　not　try　to　pull　it
  down；　or　he　failed　in　the　attempt；　or　perhaps　he　feared　that　should　he
  succeed；　he　would　be　greeted　by　a　bullet。　So　at　last　she　gave　up
  thinking　about　him。　Should　he　force　his　way　into　the　cave　she　must
  deal　with　the　situation　as　best　she　could。　Meanwhile；　her　father's
  strength　was　sinking　fast。
  Three　awful　days　went　by　in　this　fashion；　and　the　end　drew　near。
  Although　she　tried　to　force　herself　to　it；　Benita　could　not　swallow
  enough　food　to　keep　up　her　strength。　Now　that　the　passage　was　closed
  the　atmosphere　of　this　old　vault；　for　it　was　nothing　more；　thickened
  by　the　smoke　of　the　fire　which　she　was　obliged　to　burn；　grew　poisonous
  and　choked　her。　Want　of　sleep　exhausted　her；　dread　of　what　the　morrow
  might　bring　forth　crushed　her　strong　spirit。　She　began　to　break　down；
  knowing　that　the　hour　was　near　when　she　and　her　father　must　die
  together。
  Once；　as　she　slept　awhile　at　his　side；　being　wakened　by　his　groaning；
  Benita　looked　at　her　watch。　It　was　midnight。　She　rose；　and　going　to
  the　embers　of　the　little　fire；　warmed　up　some　of　her　biltong　broth
  which　she　poured　into　a　tin　pannikin。　With　difficulty　she　forced　him
  to　swallow　a　few　mouthfuls　of　it；　then；　feeling　a　sudden　weakness；
  drank　the　rest　herself。　It　gave　her　power　to　think；　and　her　father
  dozed　off　into　an　uneasy　sleep。
  Alas！　thinking　was　of　no　use；　nothing　could　be　done。　There　was　no　hope
  save　in　prayer。　Restlessness　seized　Benita；　and　taking　the　lantern　she
  wandered　round　the　cave。　The　wall　that　they　had　built　remained　intact；
  and　oh！　to　think　that　beyond　it　flowed　the　free　air　and　shone　the
  blessed　stars！　Back　she　came　again；　skirting　the　pits　that　Jacob　Meyer
  had　dug；　and　the　grave　of　the　old　monk；　till　she　reached　the　steps　of
  the　crucifix；　and　holding　up　her　candle；　looked　at　the　thorn…crowned
  brow　of　the　Christ　above。
  It　was　wonderfully　carved；　that　dying　face　was　full　of　pity。　Would　not
  He　Whom　it　represented　pity　her？　She　knelt　down　on　the　topmost　step；
  and　clasping　the　pierced　feet　with　her　arms；　began　to　pray　earnestly；
  not　for　herself　but　that　she　might　save　her　father。　She　prayed　as　she
  had　never　prayed　before；　and　so　praying；　sank　into　a　torpor　or　a
  swoon。
  It　seemed　to　Benita　that　this　sleep　of　hers　suddenly　became　alive；　in
  it　she　saw　many　things。　For　instance；　she　saw　herself　seated　in　a
  state　of　trance　upon　that　very　step　where　now　she　knelt；　while　before
  her　stood　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer。　Moreover；　something　spoke　in
  her；　she　could　not　hear　a　voice；　but　she　seemed　to　see　the　words
  written　in　the　air　before　her。　These　were　the　words：
  〃/Clasp　the　feet　of　the　Christ　and　draw　them　to　the　left。　The
  passage　beneath　leads　to　the　chamber　where　the　gold　is　hid；　and
  thence　to　the　river　bank。　That　is　the　secret　which　ere　I　depart；　I
  the　dead　Benita；　pass　on　to　you；　the　living　Benita；　as　I　am
  commanded。　In　life　and　death　peace　be　to　your　soul。/〃
  Thrice　did　this　message　appear　to　repeat　itself　in　the　consciousness
  of　Benita。　Then；　suddenly　as　she　had　slept；　she　woke　again　with　every
  letter　of　it　imprinted　on　her　mind。　Doubtless　it　was　a　dream；　nothing
  but　a　dream　bred　by　the　fact　that　her　arms　were　clasping　the　feet　of
  the　crucifix。　What　did　it　say？　〃Draw　them　to　the　left。〃
  She　did　so；　but　nothing　stirred。　Again　she　tried；　and　still　nothing
  stirred。　Of　course　it　was　a　dream。　Why　had　such　been　sent　to　mock　her？
  In　a　kind　of　mad　irritation　she　put　out　all　her　remaining　strength　and
  wrestled　with　those　stony　feet。　/They　moved　a　little/then　of　a
  sudden；　without　any　further　effort　on　her　part；　swung　round　as　high　as
  the　knees　where　drapery　hung；　concealing　the　join　in　them。　Yes；　they
  swung　round；　revealing　the　head　of　a　stair；　up　which　blew　a　cold　wind
  that　it　was　sweet　to　breathe。
  Benita　rose；　gasping。　Then　she　seized　her　lantern　and　ran　to　the
  little　tent　where　her　father　lay。
  XXII
  THE　VOICE　OF　THE　LIVING
  Mr。　Clifford　was　awake　again　now。
  〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　asked　querulously　in　a　thin　voice。　〃I　wanted
  you。〃　Then　as　the　light　from　the　candle　shone　upon　it；　he　noted　the
  change　that　had　come　over　her　pale　face；　and　added：　〃What　has
  happened？　Is　Meyer　dead？　Are　we　free？〃
  Benita　shook　her　head。　〃He　was　alive　a　few　hours　ago；　for　I　could　hear
  him　raving　and　shouting　outside　the　wall　we　built。　But；　father；　it　has
  all　come　back　to　me；　I　believe　that　I　have　found　it。〃
  〃What　has　come　back？　What　have　you　found？　Are　you　mad；　too；　like
  Jacob？〃
  〃What　something　told　me　when　I　was　in　the　trance　which　afterwards　I
  forgot；　but　now　remember。　And　I　have　found　the　passage　which　leads　to
  where　they　hid　the　gold。　It　begins　behind　the　crucifix；　where　no　one
  ever　thought　of　looking。〃
  This　matter　of　the　gold　did　not　seem　to　interest　Mr。　Clifford。　In　his
  state　all　the　wealth　beneath　the　soil　of　Africa　would　not　have
  appealed　to　him。　Moreover；　he　hated　the　name　of　that　accursed
  treasure；　which　was　bringing　them　to　such　a　miserable　end。
  〃Where　does　the　passage　run？　Have　you　looked？〃　he　asked。
  〃Not　yet；　but　the　voice　in　me　saidI　mean；　I　dreamedthat　it　goes
  down　to　the　river…side。　If　you　leant　on　me　do　you　think　that　you　could
  walk？〃
  〃Not　one　inch；〃　he　answered。　〃Here　where　I　am　I　shall　die。〃
  〃No；　no；　don't　talk　like　that。　We　may　be　saved　now　that　I　have　found　a
  way。　Oh；　if　only　you　couldif　only　you　could　walk；　or　if　I　had　the
  strength　to　carry　you！〃　and　she　wrung　her　hands　and　began　to　weep；　so
  weak　was　she。
  Her　father　looked　at　her　searchingly。　Then　he　said：
  〃Well；　love；　I　cannot；　so　there's　an　end。　But　you　can；　and　you　had
  better　go。〃
  〃What！　And　leave　you？　Never。〃
  〃Yes；　and　leave　me。　Look；　there　is　but　a　little　oil　left　and　only　a
  few　candles。　The　biscuits　are　done　and　neither　of　us　can　swallow　that
  biltong　any　more。　I　suppose　that　I　am　dying；　and　your　health　and
  strength　are　failing　you　quickly　in　this　darkness；　if　you　stop　here
  you　must　soon　follow　me。　And　what　is　the　alternative？　The　madman
  outsidethat　is；　if　you　could　find　strength　to　pull　down　the　wall；
  which　I　doubt。　You　had　best　go；　Benita。〃
  But　still　she　said　she　w