Tirseng leaned against the cliff face and braced for the sudden strong pull of Curioso's body against the rope. But there was nothing. He felt the rope sway, weightless, below him. "NO!" Annette shouted, and Tirseng grappled with her to keep her from lunging off of the shelf. She fought the sherpa, saying "I'm his only hope! Let me go damn you!" and he caught her fist against his cheek. He hugged her tightly, pinning her arms down as she began to sob. "I want to die, " she whispered. "No," Tirseng answered. "It is not the time. You will go on from here." He helped her sit down on the ledge, and slowly began to retrieve the broken safety rope. From somewhere below them, a strain of hysterical laughter rose on the wind, a wind that grew cold. "Come Annette. We must get off of this face. Some weather is coming in, " Tirseng said, as if he hadn't heard the laughter. She sat frozen, staring down into the abyss.

"Get up," he said. "Follow me now!" And the sherpa began a traverse across the face to the top of the escarpment. They reached the summit in two hours. Before them, the harsh alpine landscape fell away toward a winding river that plunged into a tree-lined canyon. As they unroped, the pair suddenly heard a voice calling from the direction of the stream. Tirseng soon picked out the colorful shape of a man dressed in a red robe. "Hello Wanderers!" came the voice again. The man approached, a broad smile on his bearded face. "Are you seeking the Wheel's Center? If so, welcome! Have you any tobacco?" Tirseng shook his head no. "Well," said the man, "worse luck. Welcome anyhow." He extended his hand. "Bierce is the name. Ambrose Bierce. I'll lead you through the canyon. It's not so far. What year is it for you?"

Tirseng stared at the man, baffled for a moment. Perhaps they didn't record time here in the same way. "It is 1938," said the Sherpa. "Ah!" said Bierce, "fascinating era! Just before the big war, eh? Oh... but you wouldn't know that, would you? Are you ready to go to the valley?" The pair nodded, and followed the strange fellow into the trees.