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Left alone I betook me tofor her quick, light step the while

Scarce was ht to hear the rustle of leaves and hasted froer: "Damaris! Art here at last, dear my lady!" And so ca at my discomfiture, yet his black broere close--but he halted and folded his arreat side-pocket For a while he measured me with his eye, at last he spoke: "Within the hour land, and froet one, you weary esture of his hand, "I shall cure your weariness for good--"

"Shoot me?"

"Most joyfully! Whatsoever hath chanced betwixt you in this wilderness, my Lady Brandon's honour must and--"

Warned by my look he clapped hand to his pocket but as he freed the weapon I was upon hiether, he striving frantically to break my hold, I to wrest the weapon froasp he sank to the grass at my feet and lay very mute and still Whilst I yet stared from his pallid face to the pistol where it had fallen, I heard shouts, a running of feet, and glancing up saw the three gentleaze,"murder" on me as they ran Like one in a dream I stared down at Sir Rupert's motionless form, until I are of my lady beside him on her knees and of the pallor of her face as she looked from him to me, her eyes ith horror: "If you have killed him, Martin--if you have killed hiive you!"

Noould I have spoken but found no words, for in this moment I knew that Sir Rupert was surely dead Dumbly I watched the passionate labour of her dexterous hands, saw the theentlemen, obedient to her word, stoop and lift that limp foroing beside them