Tiring of the scene at last, Kirk continued his wanderings, bearing gradually toward the right, that he might eventually emerge upon the Savannas below, where he knew there was a good paved road leading to the city.  But the trails were devious and seemed to lead nowhere, so at last he struck out through the jungle itself.  Having no machete with which to clear a way, his progress was slow, but he took his time, keeping a wary outlook for game, twisting back and forth to avoid the densest thickets, until he finally came out upon the margin of a stream.  Through the verdure beyond it he saw the open, sunlit meadows, and he followed the bank in the hope of finding a foot-log or a bridge upon which to cross.  He had gone, perhaps, a hundred yards when he stumbled out into a cleared space, where he paused with an exclamation of surprise.

The brook had been dammed and widened into a deep, limpid pool to which the clean, white sand of its bottom lent a golden hue.  At the lower end it overflowed in a waterfall, the purling music of which filled the glade.  Overhead the great trees were arched together and interlaced, their lower branches set with flowering orchids like hothouse plants upon a window-ledge.  The dense foliage allowed only a random beam of sunlight to pass through and pierce the pool, like a brilliant, quivering javelin.  Long vines depended from the limbs above, falling sheer and straight as plumb-lines; a giant liana the size of a man’s body twined up and up until lost in the tangle overhead.

Although set just within the border of the untouched forest, it was evident that this spot had been carefully cut away and artfully cultivated.  But, if man’s hand had aided nature by a few deft touches here and there and a careful pruning of her lavish riches, it could be seen that no human artist had designed the wondrous stage effect.  To step suddenly out of an uncut wilderness into such a scene as this was bewildering, and made the American gasp with delight.  The place had an air of strictest privacy.  A spring-board mirrored in the depths below invited one to plunge, a pair of iron gymnasium rings were swung by chains to a massive limb, a flight of stone steps led up the bank and into a hut artistically thatched and walled with palm-leaves to harmonize with its setting.  Kirk thanked his fortune that he had not blundered in while the place was in use, for it had almost the sacred air of a lady’s boudoir.

Instead of promptly withdrawing, he allowed his admiration full play, and stood staring for a long time.  What a delightful nook in which to dream away the days!  It was dim and cool and still, although outside its walls of green the afternoon sun was beating down fiercely.  A stranger might pass and never guess its presence.  It had been cunningly shaped by fairies, that was evident.  Doubtless it was peopled by them also, and his mistake had been in coming upon it so suddenly.  If he had approached with caution he would surely have surprised them at