414 1HLE

understand the depths of his fallen fortune, and turned uneasily away.

“Hassan,” T whispered to our guide, “ pass on ; we would see the rock before he awakes.” The Arab noiselessly advanced, and; with a feeling of suppressed excitement, we followed him. We had only gone a few yards when suddenly we stopped, for before our astonished caze rose a scene which was difficult for us to realize.

Far in the distance the sun was setting n a sky which seemed to turn the snow upon

the mountain peaks into crimson. Thou- (S

sands of feet below us a miniature village lay, and, standing out rug- ced and grand, before us was the rock of Hestra. The base of it occupied the space hetween the two moun- tain ridges, and thence the rock rose with its jagged top upon which the sky’s rich tone scemed to cast its reflection. We ad- vanced slowly to the rock, and for a moment stared blankly at the sicht upon which our eyes rested.

Within the trans- parent rock we saw the form of a woman attired in an ligyptian costume, whose lus- trous black cyes seemed to glance life- like at us from the partly-rent veil which covered her face, and which her hands scemed raised towards, as i to protect it

“Frank,” T cned, astonished, “1s this a living being beforc us?” He did not reply immediately, but going quite close to the rock, touched it with his hand and then said :—

“Just place your hand upon the rock for

STRAND

CWITHIN THIE TRANSPAREN OF A WOMAN,"”

MAGALLINY.

a moment, Harold.” T did so and drew at back immediately, for it touched a frozen surface! Round the rock lay scattered a number of large fragments of stone and,

pointing to them, Denviers exclaimed - “There lies the explanation of what has happened. The man who scaled the mountain, he of whom Darak spoke, probably disturbed as he did so a boulder lying loosc below the peak, and its fall was followed by a snowship which doubtless enveloped the Afghan's bride. Its weight compressed the lower part of it into ice, and the rays

of the sun falling upon the outer surface has

cradually melted the snow, lcaving the 1ce intact.”

‘That this was the truc ex- planation there could be no doubt. We drew back and gazed once more upon the wonderful scene before us - surely the most amazing that cver met mer’s eyces. Then slowly we made our way past the cave where the Afghan was stll slecep- me. We o hastened down the mountain path, bhut the descent was pertlous, and nighthadlongclosed in before we reached the spot where we had sccured our horses and tent pre- vious tochmbing the mountain path.

“ Hassan,” saad Denviers,asthe Arab streteched himself before the tent to scek repose, fwe must be astir be- times i the morn- ng.”

“When the nsing sun appears, Hassan will awake the Iing- lishmen,” he answered ; and, faithful to his word, our guide roused us early that we might continuc our wandcrings.

' ROCK WE SAW THE FORAXI