You understand ?" "Yes, sir!" Tallente took a step into what seemed to be Eternity.

The rope cut into his hands for the first three or four yards, as the red sand crumbled away beneath his feet, and he was obliged to grip for his life.
Presently he gained a little ledge, from which a single yew tree was growing, and paused for breath.
"Are you all right, sir ?" Robert called out from above.
"Quite," was the confident answer.

"I shall be off again in a minute." Tallente's head had been the wonder even of members of the Alpine Club, years ago in Switzerland.

He found himself now in this strangest of all positions, absolutely steady and unmoved.

Sheer below him, dark, rushing waves broke upon the rocks, sending showers of glittering spray upwards.