ely at his heels, He was obliged to shield his eyes with
his hands for a few minutes, so unaccustomed was he to Branchspell's
blinding rays.

"The drum beats have stopped!" he exclaimed suddenly.

"You can't expect music all the time," answered Maskull dryly. "We
mustn't be luxurious."

"But now we have no guide. We're no better off than before."

"Well, Tormance is a big place. But I have an infallible rule, Corpang.
As I come from the south, I always go due north."

"That will take us to Lichstorm."

Maskull gazed at the fantastically piled rocks all around them. "I saw
these rocks from Matterplay. The mountains look as far off now as they
did them, and there's not much of the day left. How far is Lichstorm
from here?"

Corpang looked away to the distant range. "I don't know, but unless a
miracle happens we shan't get there tonight."

"I have a feeling," said Maskull, "that we shall not only get there
tonight, but that tonight will be the most important in my life."

And he sat down passively to rest.

Chapter 18. HAUNTE

While Maskull sat, Corpang walked restlessly to and fro, swinging his
arms. He had lost his staff. His face was inflamed with suppressed
impatience, which accentuated its natural coarseness. At last he stopped
short in front of Maskull and looked down at him. "What do you intend to
do?"

Maskull glanced up and idly waved his hand toward the distant mountains.
"Since we can't walk, we must wait."

"For what?"

"I don't know... How's this, though? Those peaks have changed colour,
from red to green."

"Yes, the lich wind is travelling this way."

"The lich wind?"

"It's the atmosphere of Lichstorm. It always clings to the mountains,
but when the wind blows from the north it comes as far as Threal."

"It's a sort of fog, then?"

"A peculiar sort, for they say it excites the sexual passions."

"So we are to have lovemaking," said Maskull, laughing.

"Perhaps you won't find it so joyous," replied Corpang a little grimly.

"But tell me--these peaks, how do they preserve their balance?"

Corpang gazed at the distant, overhanging summits, which were fast
fading into obscurity.

"Passion keeps them from falling."

Maskull laughed again; he was feeling a strange disturbance of spirit.
"What, the love of rock for rock?"

"It is comical, but true."

"We'll take a closer peep at them presently. Beyond the mountains is
Barey, is it not?"

"Yes."

"And then the Ocean. But