Now it seemed to me that it was possible that such men died of fear of what might be, as men who think they are accursed, whether by witchcraft or in other ways, will die, being killed by the trouble on their minds, and so I said to Evan: 

“I will not take you into this place.  Show us the way, and I will go alone.”

“No, Master,” he said, in such wise that it was plain that there was no turning him.  “I am a Christian man, and I will not let old heathen curses hold me back, now that there is good reason why I should stand in that place.  I will not be afraid thereof.”

“Is the curse so old?” I asked.

“Old beyond memory,” he said.  “As old as what is in that place.”

“As the menhir, therefore.”

“I do not know that there is a menhir, Thane.  How know you?”

I reined up, and told him shortly.  It was only fair that I should do so.  Then he said: 

“The prince is dead, and maybe that he lies there will end the curse.  Come, we will see.”

A few paces more, and suddenly the hillside seemed to open in a ragged cleft that made another branching valley into the heart of the left-hand hillside, so deep that it seemed rather to sink downward from the mouth than to rise as a valley ever will.  In all truth, none would ever have found that place unless he sought for it with a guide.  I had not guessed that we were so near its entrance.

I looked round the hills, but from here I could see not one of our men on their watch posts, though one would have thought that where they stood it would have been impossible to lose sight of all.  We were almost at the head of the wider valley along which we had ridden.

Now I had thought to be the leader into the lost valley when we came to it, but this Evan would not suffer.  There was not room for us to ride abreast into its depths, for the narrow bottom of the cleft in the hills was littered with fallen boulders from the steeps that bordered it, and through these we had to pick our way.  There was no path, nor was it possible to trace any mark of the foot of man or horse that might have been there before us, and the valley turned almost in a half circle, so that we could see no distance before us.

Now, I know that Evan had a hard struggle with his fears, but nevertheless, without drawing rein he led on, only turning to me with one word that told me that we had found the place; and as he turned I saw that his face was ashy pale, and as he rode on he crossed himself again and again, and his lips moved in prayer.

Down the long curve of the valley we rode, and it ever narrowed under rocky hills that grew at last to cliffs, and I knew that this must be but the bed of a raging torrent in the winter, for the stones that rattled under the horse hoofs were rounded, and here and there were pools of clear water among them.  Any moment now might set us face to face with what I longed to see.