ade us sufficiently anxious, for the
point at issue was nothing less than whether we should or should not be
forthwith destroyed--an end, it appears, that Oro was quite capable of
bringing about if he so pleased. Yva, however, had very clear views of
her own on the matter and, as I gather, even dared to threaten that she
would protect us by the use of certain powers at her command, though
what these were I do not know.

While the event hung doubtful Tommy, who was growing bored with these
long proceedings, picked up a bough still covered with flowers which,
after their pretty fashion, the Orofenans had placed on the top of one
of the baskets of food. This small bough he brought and laid at the feet
of Oro, no doubt in the hope that he would throw it for him to fetch, a
game in which the dog delighted. For some reason Oro saw an omen in
this simple canine performance, or he may have thought that the dog
was making an offering to him, for he put his thin hand to his brow and
thought a while, then motioned to Bastin to pick up the bough and give
it to him.

Next he spoke to his daughter as though assenting to something, for I
saw her sigh in relief. No wonder, for he was conveying his decision to
spare our lives and admit us to their fellowship.

After this again they talked, but in quite a different tone and manner.
Then the Glittering Lady said to me in her slow and archaic Orofenan:

"We go to rest. You must not follow. We come back perhaps tonight,
perhaps next night. We are quite safe. You are quite safe under the
beard of Oro. Spirit of Oro watch you. You understand?"

I said I understood, whereon she answered:

"Good-bye, O Humfe-ry."

"Good-bye, O Yva," I replied, bowing.

Thereon they turned and refusing all assistance from us, vanished into
the darkness of the cave leaning upon each other and walking slowly.

Chapter XII. Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Years!

"You seem to have made the best of your time, old fellow," said Bickley
in rather a sour voice.

"I never knew people begin to call each other by their Christian names
so soon," added Bastin, looking at me with a suspicious eye.

"I know no other," I said.

"Perhaps not, but at any rate you have another, though you don't seem to
have told it to her. Anyway, I am glad they are gone, for I was getting
tired of being ordered by everybody to carry about wood and water for
them. Also I am terribly hungry as I can't eat before it is light. Th