That place wasn’t so bad when you turned your back upon it.  After the rope had been adjusted I crawled back carefully till my toes hung over the edge, then thrusting my hands into the two small crevices in the rock I slipped over, feeling at the same time that peculiar sensation in the pit of the stomach that one gets when an elevator drops about six floors at a fast gait.  I was perfectly satisfied that a critical examiner, reasoning on Soma’s theory of courage, would not have marked me down as a great fighter by witnessing the careful manner in which I made the descent.

I didn’t attempt to look at the gulf beneath me either.  Not that one could be ignorant of its existence.  Every inch of skin seemed to be yelling out the information to my brain, but I kept my chin up, and tried to ignore the black depths which chilled me whenever I allowed the mental photographs of the place to rise up before my vision.

The Professor followed me over the edge, and was guided by Soma to the opening in the cavern.  Leith came next, and when he landed upon the smooth path he stood directly underneath the slipping off spot with the evident intention of remaining there to assist the two girls when they were lowered down.  The post was one that Holman had assigned to me as we talked the matter over on the previous evening, and the moment Leith showed no inclination to leave the spot, I started toward him from the mouth of the cavern, where I had stepped to allow the Professor to pass me by.

The big bully immediately noticed my movement, and he waved his hand as a signal for me to go back.

“But I’m coming,” I snapped.

“What for?”

“For the fun of the thing,” I shouted, and at that moment I forgot the pit in my anxiety to reach the spot before Edith Herndon was lowered over.

“Go back at once!” roared Leith.  “I will see to the safety of the ladies.”

I was close to him at that moment, and I returned his angry glare.  “I’m going to do that,” I cried, “if the devil himself ordered me out of the way.”

Leith looked like the devil at that moment.  His sallow face seemed to heave as if a disturbed emotional centre was immediately beneath the flabby cheeks, and he cursed in an undertone as Edith Herndon slipped from the edge and swung for a moment above the ledge before she managed to get her footing.

Leith attempted to take her arm as her feet touched the unprotected path, but the girl, though unnerved by the ordeal, shook off his big claw, and with her hands clasping mine I led her across the short but dangerous ledge of rock that led to the opening in the wall.  I felt strong enough to fight a dozen devils like Leith at that moment.  The trusting manner in which the dear girl had given her hands into mine conferred upon me a strength which the crusader of old felt surging through his body when his consecrated sword blade was delivered into his hands.