ire. The wolf had seen the glint of her
pistol barrel and had fled. He would not return. But she shuddered and
drew the sleeping baby close as she thought of what might have
happened had she left him alone in the nest between the rock and the
tree.

The precious, helpless child! He was of her own blood, the son of her
strong, splendid brother ... of her brother, lying down there in those
awful depths, helpless--in agony!...

CHAPTER XXXI

CONFESSIONS

A groping hand touched her arm; bandaged fingers sought to feel who
she was. Behind her sounded a drowsy incoherent murmur. The snarl of
the wolf had roused the sleeper from his torpor.

"Hush--hush!" she whispered. "It is all well. I am here by you. Lie
still."

"Isobel!" he murmured. "Isobel!"

"Yes, dear!" she soothed. "I am here. Rest--go to sleep again. All is
well."

"All is--?" He roused a little more. "You say--Then he is safe! They
have brought him up--out of that hell!"

She could not lie outright. "He will soon be safe. By morning help
will have come to us. As soon as the men can see to go down, they will
descend for him. They will bring him up the way that you have shown
us!"

Her voice quivered with pride of what he had done. She drew up his
hand and pressed her lips tenderly upon the bandages.

Had the caress been a burn, he could not have more quickly snatched
the hand away. He sought to rise, and struck his head against the
overhanging rock.

"Where am I? Let me out!" he said.

"No, you must not! Lie still! You must not!" she remonstrated.

"Lie still?" he repeated. "Lie still! with him down there--alone!"

"But it is night--midnight. It will be hours before even the moon
rises."

"And he down there--alone! Help me make ready. I am going down to
him."

"Going down? But you cannot! It is midnight!"

"There is a lantern. I shall take that. It will be easier than in the
daytime, for I shall not see those sickening precipices below."

He sought to creep out past her. She clutched his arm.

"No, no! do not go! There is no need! Wait until they come. You have
done your share--far more than your share! Wait!"

"I cannot," he replied. "I must go down to him. I have no right to be
up here, and he still down there."

"You must!" she urged, clinging tighter to his arm. "You may fall. I
am afraid! I cannot bear it! Do not go! Stay with me--say that you
will stay with me--dearest!"

"Good God!" he cried, tearing himself away from