hen the end
fell at our feet, we found to be a ladder of curiously-knotted ropes
about as thick as packing twine, so flimsy in construction that it seemed
as though the weight of a single man would break it.

"Are we to climb to the top?" I asked Omar, who passed me by quickly in
order to examine the ladder.

"Of course," he said.

"But surely these ropes will not bear our weight!" I observed. "They are
only like string."

"Yes, but the core of each is of steel wire of such strength that it
would bear our whole party all together," he answered. "Nevertheless, it
is perhaps best to avoid running risks, so only a dozen shall ascend at a
time."

I looked up at the swaying ladder with distrust. I had heard many stories
of ropes chafing on the edges of rocks and being cut through, and my
awful experience in descending the face of the precipice opposite had
been sufficiently terrifying.

"The land of the Great White Queen is, indeed, unapproachable," I said.
"Surely no enemy could invade you?"

"We fear no outside enemy," Omar answered with sudden seriousness. "It is
internal dissensions that may cause trouble. Every precaution is taken
here, at the gate of our land, to prevent an enemy from gaining Mo. The
valley is commanded by guns in such a manner that it can be swept from
end to end, so that even if a foe were to succeed in treading the Way of
the Thousand Steps he must descend here and remain under the fire of the
guns."

"I noticed that last night you signalled with a torch," I said.

"Ah! you were awake and did not speak," he laughed. "Yes, I flashed my
name, with a message to the Naya. This was conveyed to her by a system of
signals flashed from one point to another across the country in similar
manner to those of European armies. At night the signals are constantly
at work and take the place of your telegraphs. When the message reached
the Naya she sent me a word in return, but even then Babila was far too
cautious to afford us means to enter the country without first inspecting
us himself."

"You've grown a bit, and become more Anglicized since you left," I said,
smiling.

"Yes, possibly," he answered, adding, "I was, however, going to explain
that so elaborate are the precautions against invasion that even now the
ladder has been lowered, nay, even if we were at the top, the custodians
of the Gate could, by simply pressing a button, send a current of
electricity through the wires that form the cores