could
not. He would have called to her, but to make a sound now would be to
his captors an admission of weakness.

A great clamour came from the lines. Menard wondered at the delay. He
heard a movement a few yards away. Warriors were grunting, and feet
shuffled on the ground. He heard the priest say, in a calm voice,
"Courage, Mademoiselle"; and for a moment he struggled desperately.
Then, realizing his mistake, he lay quiet. When at last he was jerked
to his feet, he saw that the priest and the maid had been forced to
take the two first places in the line. The maid was struggling in the
grasp of two braves, one of whom made her hold a war club by closing
his own hand over hers. Menard understood; his friends were to strike
the first blows.

The guards tried to drag him forward, but he went firmly with them,
smiling scornfully. There was a delay, as the line was reached, for
the maid could not be made to hold the club. Another man dropped out
of the line to aid the two who held her.

"Strike me, Mademoiselle," said Menard. "It is best."

She shook her head. Father Claude spoke:--

"M'sieu is right."

It was then that she first looked at the Captain. When she saw the
straight figure and the set face, a sense of her own weakness came to
her, and she, too, straightened. Menard stepped forward; and raising
the club she let it fall lightly on his shoulders. A shout went up.

"Hard, Mademoiselle, hard," he said. "You must."

She pressed her lips together, closed her eyes, and swung the club
with all her strength. Then her muscles gave way, and she sank to the
ground, not daring to look after the Captain as he passed on between
the two rows of savages. She heard the shouts and the wild cries, but
dimly, as if they came from far away. The confusion grew worse, and
then died down. From screaming the voices dropped into excited
argument. She did not know what it meant,--not until Father Claude
bent over her and spoke gently.

"What is it?" she whispered, not looking up. "What have they done?"

"Nothing. The Big Throat has come."

She raised her eyes helplessly.

"He has come?"

"Yes. I must go back. Take heart, Mademoiselle."

He hurried away and slipped through the crowd that had gathered about
Menard and the chief. She sat in a little heap on the ground, not
daring to feel relieved, wondering what would come next. She could not
see the Captain, but as the other voices dropped lower and lower, she
could catch