ky immediately above the mountains was of a vivid, intense blue.
It contrasted in a most marvellous way with the blue of the rest of the
heavens. It seemed more luminous and radiant, and was in fact like the
afterglow of a gorgeous blue sunset.

Maskull kept on looking. The more he gazed, the more restless and noble
became his feelings.

"What is that light?"

Panawe was sterner than usual, while his wife clung to his arm. "It
is Alppain--our second sun," he replied. "Those hills are the Ifdawn
Marest.... Now let us get to our shelter."

"Is it imagination, or am I really being affected--tormented by that
light?"

"No, it's not imagination--it's real. How can it be otherwise when two
suns, of different natures, are drawing you at the same time? Luckily
you are not looking at Alppain itself. It's invisible here. You would
need to go at least as far as Ifdawn, to set eyes on it."

"Why do you say 'luckily'?"

"Because the agony caused by those opposing forces would perhaps be more
than you could bear.... But I don't know."

For the short distance that remained of their walk, Maskull was very
thoughtful and uneasy. He understood nothing. Whatever object his eye
chanced to rest on changed immediately into a puzzle. The silence and
stillness of the mountain peak seemed brooding, mysterious, and waiting.
Panawe gave him a friendly, anxious look, and without further delay led
the way down a little track, which traversed the side of the mountain
and terminated in the mouth of a cave.

This cave was the home of Panawe and Joiwind. It was dark inside. The
host took a shell and, filling it with liquid from a well, carelessly
sprinkled the sandy floor of the interior. A greenish, phosphorescent
light gradually spread to the furthest limits of the cavern, and
continued to illuminate it for the whole time they were there. There was
no furniture. Some dried, fernlike leaves served for couches.

The moment she got in, Joiwind fell down in exhaustion. Her husband
tended her with calm concern. He bathed her face, put drink to her lips,
energised her with his magn, and finally laid her down to sleep. At
the sight of the noble woman thus suffering on his account, Maskull was
distressed.

Panawe, however, endeavoured to reassure him. "It's quite true this
has been a very long, hard double journey, but for the future it
will lighten all her other journeys for her.... Such is the nature of
sacrifice."

"I can't conceive how I