And even in that moment of extreme peril a faint
smile swept over her face as she looked up into mine, and I knew that
she understood.
It was nearly sunset when we moved away from the top of the Vermilion
Pit, but we had not gone ten paces when we stopped. A yell came out of
the place, then another and another, and Holman and I rushed back to the
edge. Down beneath us, on the slippery Ledge of Death, two natives were
locked in a death grip, and a single glance told us that they were Maru
and Soma. The Raretongan had chased Leith's brown lieutenant on to the
path, and now they were struggling like demons in the mad endeavour to
thrust each other into the depths.
"Quick!" cried Holman. "The rope!"
He slipped the line around his waist as the pair moved to the edge. Maru
was dragging the big savage with a strength that was surprising, but it
was a certainty that if Soma went over the edge the Raretongan would
keep him company.
Holman slipped down upon the Ledge, but before he could reach them a
dusty, bleeding figure stumbled through the entrance to the cavern, a
knife flashed in the sunlight, and Maru was drawn back into safety as
Soma released his grip.
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