t lay safely hidden in an inner pocket, its tiny size alone
having prevented its discovery by alien hands. "I have it in my pocket.
There's only one cartridge, but that will be enough if--if we have need
of it."

"Thank you, Dr. Anstice." To his surprise and admiration she had
regained her courage, the threatened collapse of the previous moment
gone for ever. "Then I can wait quite calmly. But"--her blue eyes met
his very fully--"you won't delay too long? The moment they come you
will--do what you have promised?"

"Yes, dear." In that second he forgot that their acquaintance was barely
a week old, forgot that Hilda Ryder was the promised bride of another
man. In this moment all external circumstances were forgotten, and
nothing remained but the fact that they were called upon to face death
together, and that to him alone could the girl look for comfort and help
in the bitter hour which faced them. And he knew that his hand must be
steady to do her service; that he must guide her footsteps unfalteringly
to the gate through which she must pass in all her radiant youth; must
support and strengthen her with hand and voice so that she might look
the dark angel fearlessly in the face and pass that frowning portal with
unflinching step and dauntless mien.

In the hour of death he must help her to be true to herself, so that no
craven fear should sully her proud soul, and with this high resolve he
turned to her with the little word of endearment on his lips, and laid
his hand on her arm with a touch of real affection.

"I will do what I have promised when the moment comes." He felt a little
shiver run over her body and his hand tightened on her arm. "Dear, it
will soon be over. Really you need not be afraid."

"Tell me"--she turned to him, and the look in her eyes thrilled him
through and through--"does it _hurt_--death when it comes like--that?"

"No." He spoke firmly. "You must not think of that. It is all over in a
second--and you know"--he hesitated--"after all, this life is not
everything."

"No." A new light touched her eyes for a moment, a light brighter than
that of the rising sun. "There is a life beyond, isn't there? My mother
died three years ago, and I have missed her sorely," said Hilda Ryder
simply. "Surely she will greet me--there. But"--for a moment a great
human yearning shook her soul--"it's hard to leave this dear life
behind ... the world is so wonderful, so lovely--I'm sure no other world
can ever b