ed within her the strange race-instinct, born
of blood in which was no drop of craven blood, and of caste which was
greater than that of kings. She was the product of her day and her
environment; but she was the product also of her mighty past, of great
men who had fought and ruled their world, and great women who had ruled
with them. It was instinct, dumb and blind, but it held her on her feet,
facing them, though her eyes were frozen with terror; and she obeyed it
because she had no sense or will to disobey.

For one heart-beat there was no sound but the heavy panting of men's
breath. Then a man snatched a golden cup rimmed with rubies, which stood
on a stand near the window, and thrust it into his breast. With his
first motion the two others started upon Varia where she stood, rose and
white, in the middle of the chamber. Midway, the larger man pushed the
smaller red-bearded one aside; he recovered, with a vicious pass of his
knife, which the other gave aside to parry.

"I entered first!" the red one shouted. "Hands off, thou son of swine!
Said we not that I, Wulf, who brought thee hither, should have first
choice? Call you the others; thus we shall catch them front and rear."

"Call yourself!" said the other. He sprang forward, clutching at Varia,
slipped on the polished floor, and plunged headlong at her feet. Varia
screamed in terror; and as Wulf overleaped his prostrate comrade and
caught her in his arms, screamed again. Her head was crushed against
Wulf's leather-clad breast, but she struggled and cried aloud as a hare
cries when the hounds have brought it down.

There was a rush from the corridor outside, a long-drawn shout of
warning and triumph, answered by yells from the garden, where more black
figures came leaping. Wardo, grimed from head to foot, dashed into the
room at the head of his men as a crowd of invaders surged through the
long window. He lunged at Wulf with the short broad sword he carried,
and the point came away red. Wulf gurgled and fell, dragging Varia with
him; and the fight closed over them both as water closes over a cast
stone.

And as Life had entered the garden by that little narrow door, so Death
also entered, bringing with it what Death must bring.

III

When dawn washed the first faint streak of gray across the night sky,
the barbarians, beaten back and baffled, retreated to the great Wood
from which they had come, and lurked darkly there.

"I think we are not yet through