ng.

Then, with a sudden movement, Hilda Ryder sprang to her feet and crossed
the mud floor to the aperture in the wall.

"Dr. Anstice, the sun is rising. I suppose--now--we have only a few
minutes more to live."

He followed her across the floor and together they watched the dawning
of the day which was to be the herald of death. With the inexorable
swiftness of the East the sun was rushing into the sky in all his glory
of scarlet and pearl, and in spite of the significance of his triumphal
rising the two who watched him caught their breath at the rosy
magnificence of his entry.

But Hilda's words must not go unanswered; and with a resolute squaring
of his shoulders Anstice turned from the gorgeous world outside to the
dimness of the hut.

"Yes," he said, rather slowly and deliberately. "I am afraid we have
only a few minutes left--now."

Curiously, she cavilled at his choice of words.

"Why do you say--afraid?" He could not understand her tone. "You are not
afraid to die--it's I who am such a pitiful coward that I daren't face
death--out there in the sunlight."

"You're not a coward, Miss Ryder!" Impulsively he patted her shoulder,
and in spite of everything his action thrilled her with a sense of
comfort. "Why, all through this dreadful night you've behaved like a
heroine, and if your courage fails you a little now--which I hardly
believe--well, that's excusable, at any rate!"

"Have I been brave?" She looked at him with wide blue eyes like the eyes
of a child. "I am glad of that, seeing it was I who led us into this by
profaning--and making you profane--their Temple. I was afraid I had been
dreadfully cowardly. I--I didn't feel brave, you know!"

"You poor little girl!" She was nearly as tall as he, a stately young
woman, in truth, but suddenly he saw her as a frightened child. "You've
been braver--much braver than I--and I wish to God I could have got you
safely out of this! What do you say? Shall we break open the door and
make a dash for it? We might win through--if the guards were taken by
surprise----"

"Have you forgotten the high wall of the courtyard--and the great gates
which can only be opened by three men?" He _had_ forgotten, and her
reminder seemed to close the last avenue of escape. "No, Dr. Anstice,
that's not the way out. But----" A sudden noise outside made her start,
and her voice grew hoarse suddenly and broke. "Oh, you won't fail me,
will you? You have my revolver safe?"

"Yes." I