e gutter which
channelled it. She began to sob with fright and exhaustion as she ran.

"Lord, let me find him, or I die of fear! He will save me--with him
shall I be safe. Take me to him--let me find him, for my love is
stronger than am I." Fear swept her from all the rationalities to which
she had clung; out of the tumult and the terror in which she struggled,
love rose like a wave and claimed her--the passion which was stronger
than she. God was very strong, without doubt; but without doubt also He
had many souls to guard that night, and it was the strength of a man's
arm she wanted.

So she reached the end of the alley where it opened into the street of
the fords, and crouched behind the elbow of a rambling wall, looking out
warily, a hunted thing, to see if further faring might be safe.

The broad paved street was lighted by flames from a house blazing
fiercely opposite her; and figures ran to and fro before it like imps
gone mad. Other figures there were also, which lay very still upon the
roadway in the crimson light, with their black shadows crouched behind
them. There was a rending crackle from the heart of the fire, and
shrieks and shouting from those around it; and under it all the dull
roar from all Thorney which never ceased. And quite suddenly Eldris knew
that she was listening to a sound that came out of the din around her,
the sound of men's voices, singing in unison. In that hour and place it
was to her more dreadful, more a thing of terror, than even the cries
which it was drowning. The voices came nearer; and at that in them, for
all her fear, the blood thrilled through her to her finger-tips.

For in them was the very spirit of the fight, of lust and blood and
fierce exultant triumph; barbaric and pagan, they were reckless with a
pitiless pride which feared neither gods nor men nor devils. Eldris
crouched closer against the sheltering wall as though it had been a
sentient thing to aid her. So she saw a line of men, on foot,
approaching; and the line reached from side to side of the wide street.
Each man walked with arms across his fellows' shoulders; and their song
kept time with their swift marching feet. The red light of the burning
houses fell upon them, on their reckless faces, and glinted on their
shirts of link-mail which clashed as they moved, on their crested caps
of metal, and on the weapons which hung at their sides. They swept all
before them as they came; plunderers left their work of o