We--"
"Please! I don't want to hear it!" protested Enoch,
"Pshaw! There's no more daily risk here, than there is in the streets
of a large city."
Enoch grunted and followed as Diana hurried after Na-che. The course
now led along the edge of the plateau which here hung directly above
the river. The water twisted far below like a sinuous brown ribbon.
The nooning sky was bronze blue and burning hot. The world seemed very
huge, to Enoch; the three of them, toiling so carefully over the yellow
plateau, very small and insignificant. He did not talk much during the
rest intervals. He would light his pipe and smoke as if in physical
contentment, but his deep blue eyes were burning and somber as they
rested on the vast emptiness about them. Na-che always dozed during
the stops. Diana, after she had observed the look in Enoch's eyes,
occupied herself in writing up her note book.
It was just noon when they came to an old trail which Enoch believed
dropped to the cliff dwelling. Before descending it, they ate their
lunch, Enoch and Diana sharing with Na-che. This done, they began to
work carefully down the faint old trail. For ten or fifteen minutes,
they wormed zig-zag downward, the angle of descent so great that
frequently they were obliged to sit down and slide, controlling their
speed by clinging to the rocks on either side.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256