which　I　doubt。　You　had　best　go；　Benita。〃
  But　still　she　said　she　would　not。
  〃Do　you　not　see；〃　he　added；　〃that　it　is　my　only　chance　of　life？　If　you
  go　you　may　be　able　to　bring　me　help　before　the　end　comes。　Should　there
  be　a　passage　the　probability　is　that；　although　they　know　nothing　of
  it；　it　finishes　somewhere　by　the　wall　of　the　first　enclosure　where　the
  Makalanga　are。　If　so；　you　may　find　the　Molimo；　or　if　he　is　dead；　Tamas
  or　one　of　the　others；　and　they　will　help　us。　Go；　Benita；　go　at　once。〃
  〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　answered　in　a　changed　voice。　〃Of
  course；　it　may　be　so；　if　the　passage　goes　down　at　all。　Well；　at　least
  I　can　look　and　come　back　to　tell　you。〃
  Then　Benita　placed　the　remainder　of　the　oil　close　by　her　father's
  side；　so　that　he　could　refill　the　lamp；　for　the　use　of　his　hands　still
  remained　to　him。　Also；　she　set　there　such　crumbs　of　biscuit　as　were
  left；　some　of　the　biltong；　a　flask　of　Hollands；　and　a　pail　of　water。
  This　done；　she　put　on　her　long　cloak；　filled　one　of　its　pockets　with
  biltong；　and　the　other　with　matches　and　three　of　the　four　remaining
  candles。　The　fourth　she　insisted　on　leaving　beside　her　father's　bed。
  When　everything　was　ready　she　knelt　down　at　his　side；　kissed　him；　and
  from　her　heart　put　up　a　prayer　that　they　might　both　live　to　meet
  again；　although　she　knew　well　that　this　they　could　scarcely　hope　to
  do。
  Had　two　people　ever　been　in　a　more　dreadful　situation；　she　wondered；
  as　she　looked　at　her　father　lying　there；　whom　she　must　leave　to　fight
  with　Death　alone　in　that　awful　place；　while　she　went　forth　to　meet　him
  in　the　unknown　bowels　of　the　earth！
  Mr。　Clifford　read　her　thoughts。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　strange
  parting　and　a　wild　errand。　But　who　knows？　It　may　please　Providence　to
  take　you　through；　and　if　notwhy；　our　troubles　will　soon　be　over。〃
  Then　once　more　they　kissed；　and　not　daring　to　try　to　speak；　Benita
  tore　herself　away。　Passing　into　the　passage　whereof　the　lower　half　of
  the　crucifix　formed　the　door；　she　paused　for　a　moment　to　examine　it
  and　to　place　a　fragment　of　rock　in　such　fashion　that　it　could　not　shut
  again　behind　her。　Her　idea　was　that　it　worked　by　aid　of　some　spring；
  but　now　she　saw　that　this　was　not　so；　as　the　whole　mass　hung　upon
  three　stone　hinges　beautifully　concealed。　The　dust　and　corrosion　of
  ages　which　had　made　this　door　so　hard　to　open；　by　filling　up　the　tiny
  spaces　between　it　and　its　framework；　had　also　rendered　these　cracks
  utterly　imperceptible　to　the　eye。　So　accurately　was　it　fashioned；
  indeed；　that　no　one　who　did　not　know　its　secret　would　have　discovered
  it　if　they　searched　for　months　or　years。
  Though　at　the　time　Benita　took　little　note　of　such　details；　the
  passage　beyond　and　the　stair　descending　from　it　showed　the　same
  perfect　workmanship。　Evidently　this　secret　way　dated　not　from　the
  Portuguese　period；　but　from　that　of　the　Ph？nicians　or　other　ancients；
  to　whose　treasure…chamber　it　was　the　approach；　opening　as　it　did　from
  their　holy　of　holies；　to　which　none　were　admitted　save　the　head
  priests。　The　passage；　which　was　about　seven　feet　high　by　four　wide；
  had　been　hewn　out　of　the　live　rock　of　the　mountain；　for　thousands　of
  little　marks　left　by　the　workmen's　chisels　were　still　discernible　upon
  its　walls。　So　it　was　with　the　stair；　that　had　been　but　little　used；
  and　remained　fresh　as　the　day　when　it　was　finished。
  Down　the　steps；　candle　in　hand；　flitted　Benita；　counting　them　as　she
  went。　The　thirtieth　brought　her　to　a　landing。　Here　it　was　that　she　saw
  the　first　traces　of　that　treasure　which　they　had　suffered　so　much　to
  find。　Something　glittered　at　her　feet。　She　picked　it　up。　It　was　a
  little　bar　of　gold　weighing　two　or　three　ounces　that　doubtless　had
  been　dropped　there。　Throwing　it　down　again　she　looked　in　front　of　her；
  and　to　her　dismay　saw　a　door　of　wood　with　iron　bolts。　But　the　bolts
  had　never　been　shot；　and　when　she　pulled　at　it　the　door　creaked　upon
  its　rusty　hinges　and　opened。　She　was　on　the　threshold　of　the　treasure…
  chamber！
  It　was　square　and　of　the　size　of　a　small　room；　packed　on　either　side
  almost　to　the　low；　vaulted　roof　with　small　bags　of　raw　hide；
  carelessly　arranged。　Quite　near　to　the　door　one　of　these　bags　had
  slipped　down　and　burst　open。　It　was　filled　with　gold；　some　in　ingots
  and　some　in　raw　nuggets；　for　there　they　lay　in　a　shining；　scattered
  heap。　As　she　stooped　to　look　it　came　into　the　mind　of　Benita　that　her
  father　had　said　that　in　her　trance　she　had　told　them　that　one　of　the
  bags　of　treasure　was　burst；　and　that　the　skin　of　which　it　had　been
  made　was　black　and　red。　Behold！　before　her　lay　the　burst　bag；　and　the
  colour　of　the　hide　was　black　and　red。
  She　shivered。　The　thing　was　uncanny；　terrible。　Uncanny　was　it　also　to
  see　in　the　thick　dust；　which　in　the　course　of　twenty　or　more　of
  centuries　had　gathered　on　the　floor；　the　mark　of　footprints；　those　of
  the　last　persons　who　had　visited　this　place。　There　had　been　two　of
  them；　a　man　and　a　woman；　and　they　were　no　savages；　for　they　wore
  shoes。　Benita　placed　her　foot　in　the　print　left　by　that　dead　woman。　It
  filled　it　exactly；　it　might　have　been　her　own。　Perhaps；　she　thought　to
  herself；　that　other　Benita　had　descended　here　with　her　father；　after
  the　Portuguese　had　hidden　away　their　wealth；　that　she　might　be　shown
  where　it　was；　and　of　what　it　consisted。
  One　more　glance　at　all　this　priceless；　misery…working　gold；　and　on　she
  went；　she　who　was　seeking　the　gold　of　life　and　liberty　for　herself　and
  him　who　lay　above。　Supposing　that　the　stairway　ended　there？　She
  stopped；　she　looked　round；　but　could　see　no　other　door。　To　see　the
  better　she　halted　and　opened　the　glass　of　her　lantern。　Still　she　could
  perceive　nothing；　and　her　heart　sank。　Yet　why　did　the　candle　flicker
  so　fiercely？　And　why　was　the　air　in　this　deep　place　so　fresh？　She
  walked　forward　a　pace　or　two；　then　noticed　suddenly　that　those
  footprints　of　the　dead　that　she　was　following　disappeared　immediately
  in　front　of　her；　and　she　stopped。
  It　was　but　just　in　time。　One　step　more　and　she　would　have　fallen　down
  the　mouth　of　a　deep　pit。　Once　it　had　been　covered　with　a　stone；　but
  this　stone　was　removed；　and　had　never　been　replaced。　Look！　there　it
  stood　against　the　wall　of　the　chamber。　Well　was　this　for　Benita；　since
  her　frail　strength　would　not　have　sufficed　to　stir　that　massive　block；
  even　if　she　had　discovered　its　existence　beneath　the　dust。
  Now　she　saw　that　down　the　pit　ran　another　ladderlike　stair　of　stone；
  very　narrow　and　precipitous。　Without　hesitation　she　began　its　descent。
  Down　she　went　and　downone　hundred　steps；　two　hundred　steps；　two
  hundred　and　seventy…five　steps；　and　all　the　way　wherever　the　dust　had
  gathered　the　man's　and　the　woman's　footprints　ran　before　her。　There
  was　a　double　line　of　them；　one　line　going　down　and　the　other　line
  returning。　Those　that　returned　were　the　last；　for　often　they　appeared
  over　those　that　descended。　Why　had　these　dead　people　returned；　Benita
  wondered。
  The　stair　had　ended；　now　she　was　in　a　kind　of　natural　cave；　for　its
  sides　and　roof　were　rugged；　moreover；　water　trickled　and　dripped　from
  them。　It　was　not　very　large；　and　it　smelt　horribly　of　mud　and　other
  things。　Again　she　searched　by　the　feeble　light　of　her　candle；　but
  could　see　no　exit。　Suddenly　she　saw　something　else；　however；　for
  stepping　on　what　she　took　to　be　a　rock；　to　her　horror　it　moved　beneath
  her。　She　heard　a　snap　as　of　jaws；　a　violent　blow　upon　the　leg　nearly
  knocked　her　off　her　feet；　and　as　she　staggered　backwards　she　saw　a
  huge　and　loathsome　shape　rushing　away　into　the　darkness。　The　rock　that
  she　had　trodden　on　was　a　crocodile　which　had　its　den　here！　With　a
  little　scream　she　retreated　to　her　stair。　Death　she　had　expectedbut
  to　be　eaten　by　crocodiles！
  Yet　as　Benita　stood　there　panting　a　blessed　hope　rose　in　her　breast。
  If　a　crocodile　came　in　there　it　must　also　get　out；　and　where　such　a
  great　creature　could　go；　a　woman　would　be　able　to　follow。　Also；　she
  must　be　near　the　water；　since　otherwise　it　could　never　have　chosen
  this　hole　for　its　habitation。　She　collected　her　courage；　and　having
  clapped　her　hands　and　waved　the　lantern　about　to　scare　any　alligators
  that　might　still　be　lurking　there；　hearing　and　seeing　nothing　more；
  she　descended　to　where　she　had　trodden　upon　the　reptile。　Evidently
  this　was　its　bed；　for　its　long　body　had　left　an　impress　upon　the　mud；
  and　all　about　lay　the　remains　of　creatures　that　it　had　brought　in　for
  food。　Moreover；　a　path　ran　outwards；　its　well…worn　trail　distinct　even
  in　that　light。
  She　followed　this　path；　which　ended　apparently　in　a　blank　wall。　Then
  it　was　that　Benita　guessed　why　those　dead　folks'　footprints　had
  returned；　for　here　had　been　a　doorway　which　in　some　past　age　those　who
  used　it　built　up　with　blocks　of　stone　and　cement。　How；　then；　did　the
  crocodile　get　out？　Stooping　down　she　searched；　and　perceived；　a　few
  yards　to　the　right　of　the　door；　a　hole　that　looked　as　though　it　were
  water…worn