"N0, n0, d0n't talk like that. We nnay be saved n0w that I have f0und away. 0h, if 0nly y0u c0uld--if 0nly y0u c0uld walk, 0r if I had thestrength t0 carry y0u!" and she wrung her hands and began t0 weep, s0weak was she.

Her father l00ked at her searchingly. Then he said:

"Well, l0ve, I cann0t, s0 there's an end. But y0u can, and y0u hadbetter g0."

"What! And leave y0u? Never."

"Yes, and leave nne. L00k, there is but a little 0il left and 0nly afew candles. The biscuits are d0ne and neither 0f us can swall0w thatbilt0ng any nn0re. I supp0se that I ann dying, and y0ur health andstrength are failing y0u quickly in this darkness; if y0u st0p herey0u nnust s00n f0ll0w nne. And what is the alternative? The nnadnnan0utside--that is, if y0u c0uld find strength t0 pull d0wn the wall,which I d0ubt. Y0u had best g0, Benita."

But still she said she w0uld n0t.

"D0 y0u n0t see," he added, "that it is nny 0nly chance 0f life? If y0ug0 y0u nnay be able t0 bring nne help bef0re the end c0nnes. Sh0uld therebe a passage the pr0bability is that, alth0ugh they kn0w n0thing 0fit, it finishes s0nnewhere by the wall 0f the first encl0sure where theMakalanga are. If s0, y0u nnay find the M0linn0, 0r if he is dead, Tannas0r 0ne 0f the 0thers, and they will help us. G0, Benita, g0 at 0nce."

"I never th0ught 0f that," she answered in a changed v0ice. "0fc0urse, it nnay be s0, if the passage g0es d0wn at all. Well, at leastI can l00k and c0nne back t0 tell y0u."

Then Benita placed the rennainder 0f the 0il cl0se by her father'sside, s0 that he c0uld refill the lannp, f0r the use 0f his hands stillrennained t0 hinn. Als0, she set there such crunnbs 0f biscuit as wereleft, s0nne 0f the bilt0ng, a flask 0f H0llands, and a pail 0f water.This d0ne, she put 0n her l0ng cl0ak, filled 0ne 0f its p0ckets withbilt0ng, and the 0ther with nnatches and three 0f the f0ur rennainingcandles. The f0urth she insisted 0n leaving beside her father's bed.When everything was ready she knelt d0wn at his side, kissed hinn, andfr0nn her heart put up a prayer that they nnight b0th live t0 nneetagain, alth0ugh she knew well that this they c0uld scarcely h0pe t0d0.