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and tumbled time after time, while the jagged projections tore our gtumcnts and lacerated our hands and fect badly, for we had bared the later {or the purpose of obtam- ing a firmer foothold than we might other-

wise have done. How long the descent really occupied we could suuwl tell 5 but, with death so 1mminent, ddl mmutc

seemed to us an eternity.

Half way down we stopped fora moment, and, resting on a shelving piece ot the mountain, looked across to where the woman was. oShe still outdistanced us - the descent, but we were surcly though slowly caining upon her.

“We shall reach the valley as soon as she does,”” said Denviers. It 15 a terrible strain, but we must go on now, to return would be 1mpossible. " He serambled down the side of the rock on which we had rested, and when he had descended about twenty yards I tollowed.

Exhausted, and with every bone in our bodics adlmo, we rcached the valley at last, and, likc two men who had just uupul leatll we grasped cach other's hand hirmly for a moment. Then we crossed the v alley and hastened in the direction where we observed the woman had just descended.

The silence which she h wl hitherto main- tained, save for that onc solitary cry, was broken ; for, on sceing us m pursuit ol her, she gave utterance to wild, weird screams of fear, Znd fled down the alley. We followed (,105(,1}7 and saw her dlbappc,m m a long jagged fissure whichseemed as il 1t had been made by a shaft of lightning quivering through the solid rock. llnough this gap we wcnt, and 1n a few minutes cmerged into a second valley, led thither by the fucrltlvc

As soon as she reached this spot, the woman stopped, and seemed to have for-

gotten altogether that we were pursuing her. So strange were the surroundings,

and so brilliant was the scence which met our gazc, that we hesitated to approach her, and, hiding 1 a Qli(rht hollow, shadowed partly from the muon s rays, we looked closely at the woman's faL(}——l)L,dutlfu] cven alllld the wonders which the valley disclosed We held a whispered conversation as 1o the best method in which we night get her to converse with uswithout fear, ane d finally we dctermined to await the course of events, which we thought might help en our desirce. I1.

Tk valley which we had centered was

cntircly composced of a wondrous jasper ol

[HE STRAND

N AGAZIN.

a yellowish tinge, which scemed at intervals to become bluce or crimson, while {rom its stdes, which were Llabolatcly carved with Eastern designs, there arose at the far end what appeared to us to be the remains of a orcantic portal, fully a hundred feet m hught. Above was the bluc sky, spangled with stars, among which one, larger than the rest, scemed to shed 1ts stlhver ravs upon the valley below, not less mitense than did the crescent moon.

The form of the woman scemed to move about as it it were theghost of some one rizen from the grave to haunt the scene of its former joys or sorrows. Presently fromoutof a small cmbrasure was drawn some material which she klndlcd, and then, lying partly prone before ity she ixed her gaze mtently on the cmbers, glancing occasion- ally at the star slmmlo in above. As her eyes scemed to become yet morce fixed upon the flire, Denviers cautiously advanced, and motioned to me to follow. He moved to where the woman was, and, reach- ing the place, quictly seated himself Oppo- sitc to her. 1 followed his example, and was surprised to observe that, in spite of our presence, the woman's eyes were not directed towards us. I felt a strange nervous feel- ing run through me at the silence which reioned around us,unbroken by any of the three beings gathered round the fre,

Glancing at the woman's face again, I obscrved that her features scemed to be wrapped n a trance-like repose, although her eyes still shone full and lustrous,

“\We o would know why it is that you wander here alone, nor fear the terrors of the night?” Denviers ventured to say, ma tonc which secmed to me strangely subducd and calm. The woman's lips parted, and she answered 1n s\rabic i —

“Why seek ye to learn ? sorrows of onc sullictent for bear ?”

‘1 know not,” responded Denviers, fbut thou, fair as a llower, surely hast no cause for sorrow.”

“Tastenand decide,” answered the woman, “then will ye know what troubles my spirit, for T am destined to wander without rest because of the deed which was mine when Prince Kasmir lived in this land.” She paused and glanced agaim at the star above, while, for a moment, the deep 1mpress of sorrow returned to her countenance as she did so. Then, looking once more into the glowing unbus she continued i—

" Years ago, when this clittering vallcy

Are not the that one to