"
"Aye," from Rolla, bitterly. "And in time Dulnop will die, if we do
nothing for him--and for Corrus!"
Cunora fell to sobbing again. "I cannot help it! I am--afraid!"
Rolla scarcely heard. An enormous idea had just occurred to her. She had
told the girl to think of Dulnop and Corrus; but was it not equally true
that they should think of all the other humans, their fellow slaves,
each of whom had suffered nearly as much? Was not the fire equally
precious to them all?
She started to explain this to the girl, then abruptly gave it up. It
was no use; Cunora's mind was not strong enough to take the step. Rolla
fairly gasped as she realized, as no Sanusian had realized before, that
she had been given the responsibility of rescuing A WHOLE RACE.
Fire she must have! And since she could not, dared not, seek it here,
she must try the other side of the world. And she would have to do it--
alone!
"So be it!" she said loudly in a strange voice. "Ye stay here and wait,
Cunora! I go on!"
And for fear her resolution would break down, she immediately crept over
the edge. She clung to the rock as though expecting to be dragged from
it. Instead, as she let her feet down into the blackness, she could feel
solid rock beneath her body, quite the same as she had lain upon a
moment before.
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