Page 399 (1/1)

Suddenly finding herself very much alarmed and shaken, Beatrice sat down in the low chair beside her bed, and covering her face with both hands tried to think

The old woman, sonation, and sought to make speech with her, but she paid no heed Now, if ever, she had need of self-searching--of courage and enterprise And all at once she found that, despite everything, she was only a woman

Her passion spent, she felt a desperate need of a th, advice, support In disarray she sat there, striving to collect her reason

Her robe was torn, and her loosened hair, escaping froolden pins, cascaded all about her shoulders Loudly her heart throbbed; a certain shivering had taken possession of her, and all at once she noticed that her broas burning

Resolutely she tried to put her weakness frohts In the bed her son still slept quietly, his fat fist protruding from the clothes, his ruddy, healthy little face half buried in the pillow

A great, overpowering wave of h lids now tear-diry, peered at the child--her child and Allan's

"For your sake--for yours if not for ht

"Evidently so on here Beyond and apart froreater peril menaces the colony!"

She reflected on the incident of her pistol and a stolen

"There can be no doubt that H'yemba did that," she decided "In the confusion of the catastrophe he has disarmed me That means well-planned rebellion--and at this time it will be fatal! Now, above all else, we must work in harmony, stand fast, close up the ranks! This must not be!"

Yet she could see no way clear to crush the danger What could she do against so many--nearly all provided with firearms? Why had H'yemba even taken the trouble to steal her weapon?

"Coward!" she exclai as I had a pistol! As I live, and heaven is above me, in case of civil war he shall be the first to die!"

She su the re Folk and secretly find me a pistol, with a, and return as quickly as you can There bethe Folk I ain?"