All this while we had been travelling towards Xaca’s fiery crest by the bright moonlight, but now the dawn broke suddenly on the mountain top, and the flame died away in the heart of the pillar of smoke.  It was wonderful to see the red glory that shone upon the ice-cap, and on us two men who crept like flies across it, while the mountain’s breast and the world below were plunged in the shadows of night.

‘Now we have a better light to climb by, comrade!’ I called to de Garcia, and my voice rang strangely among the ice cliffs, where never a man’s voice had echoed before.

As I spoke the mountain rumbled and bellowed beneath us, shaking like a wind-tossed tree, as though in wrath at the desecration of its sacred solitudes.  With the rumbling came a shower of grey ashes that rained down on us, and for a little while hid de Garcia from my sight.  I heard him call out in fear, and was afraid lest he had fallen; but presently the ashes cleared away, and I saw him standing safely on the lava rim that surrounds the crater.

Now, I thought, he will surely make a stand, for could he have found courage it had been easy for him to kill me with his sword, which he still wore, as I climbed from the ice to the hot lava.  It seemed that he thought of it, for he turned and glared at me like a devil, then went on again, leaving me wondering where he believed that he would find refuge.  Some three hundred paces from the edge of the ice, the smoke and steam of the crater rose into the air, and between the two was lava so hot that in places it was difficult to walk upon it.  Across this bed, that trembled as I passed over it, went de Garcia somewhat slowly, for now he was weary, and I followed him at my ease, getting my breath again.

Presently I saw that he had come to the edge of the crater, for he leaned forward and looked over, and I thought that he was about to destroy himself by plunging into it.  But if such thoughts had been in his mind, he forgot them when he had seen what sort of nest this was to sleep in, for turning, he came back towards me, sword up, and we met within a dozen paces of the edge.  I say met, but in truth we did not meet, for he stopped again, well out of reach of my sword.  I sat down upon a block of lava and looked at him; it seemed to me that I could not feast my eyes enough upon his face.  And what a face it was; that of a more than murderer about to meet his reward!  Would that I could paint to show it, for no words can tell the fearfulness of those red and sunken eyes, those grinning teeth and quivering lips.  I think that when the enemy of mankind has cast his last die and won his last soul, he too will look thus as he passes into doom.

‘At length, de Garcia!’ I said.

‘Why do you not kill me and make an end?’ he asked hoarsely.

’Where is the hurry, cousin?  For hard on twenty years I have sought you, shall we then part so soon?  Let us talk a while.  Before we part to meet no more, perhaps of your courtesy you will answer me a question, for I am curious.  Why have you wrought these evils on me and mine?  Surely you must have some reason for what seems to be an empty and foolish wickedness.’