heart was still with a
terror so depressing that it well-nigh drove her mad.

The wounds in his legs and side were closed and the great bruises on his
back and head were reduced. When he, faint and weak, began to understand
what was going on about him, he saw the face of one of the two women
over whom he had raved in his delirium. In the hours when death seemed
but a step away he had plaintively called for Grace and then for
Tennys. A strange gladness filled the heart of the one beside him when
he uttered the unconscious appeal to her. Sometimes she found herself
growing red over the things he was saying to her in his ravings; again
she would chill with the tender words that went to Grace. Then came the
day when he saw and knew her. Often in the days of his convalescence she
would start from a reverie, certain that she heard him call as he did in
delirium, only to sink back and smile sadly with the discovery that she
had been dreaming.

The village of Ridgehunt was a great hospital for weeks after the fight.
Lady Tennys herself had ordered the dead to be buried in the trenches.
For the first time in the history of the island the Oolooz men had been
beaten. She spent many hours in telling Hugh of the celebrations that
followed the wonderful achievements.

"There is one thing about our friends that I have not told you, Hugh,"
she said one night as they sat under the awning. "You have been so weak
that I feared the shock might hurt you."

"You think of my comfort always," he said gratefully.

"You never knew that they brought a number of prisoners to the village
and--and--oh, it is too horrible to tell you."

"Brought them to the village? What for?"

"They intended to eat them," she said, shuddering.

"Great Scott! They are not cannibals?"

"I couldn't believe it until I saw them making ready for their awful
feast out there. I shall never be able to eat meat again. Alzam brought
me a piece of the horrid stuff. They executed the prisoners before I
could interfere."

"Oh, that's too horrible!"

"Sick and terrified, I went among the men who were dancing about the
feast they were ready to devour, and, assuming a boldness I did not
feel, commanded them to desist. The king was bewildered at first, then
chagrined, but as I threatened him ferociously--"

"I should have enjoyed seeing you ferocious."

"He called the brutes away and then I gave orders to have every one of
the bodies buried. For several days after th