it with all his strength, knotted it. And in that
same second he heard Westmore crashing through the shrubbery, close to
him.

Instantly he rose to his knees on the grass; bounded to his feet,
leaped over the low shrubs, and was off down the slope--gone like a
swift hawk's shadow on the hillside. Barres was after him.

* * * * *

The soul of Thessalie Dunois was very near to its escape, now,
brightening, glistening within its unconscious chrysalis, stretching
its glorious limbs and wings; preparing to arise from its spectral
tenement and soar aloft to its myriad sisters, where they swarmed
glittering in the zenith.

Had it not been for the knife lying beside her on the grass--the blade
very bright in the starlight--truly the youthful soul of Thessalie had
been sped.

At the edge of the Gerhardts' pine woods, Barres, at fault, baffled,
furious, out of breath and glaring around him in the dark, sullenly
gave up the hopeless chase, turned in his tracks, and came back.
Thessalie, lying in Dulcie's arms, unclosed her eyes and looked up at
him.

"Are you all right?" he asked, kneeling and bending over her.

"Yes ... Jim came."

Westmore's voice was shaky.

"We worked her arms--Dulcie and I--started respiration. She was nearly
gone. That beast strangled her----"

"I lost him in those woods below. Who was he?"

"Ferez Bey!"

Thessalie sighed, closed her eyes.

"She's about all in," whispered Westmore. And, to Dulcie: "Let me take
her. I'll carry her to the car."

At that Thessalie opened her eyes again and the old, faintly humorous
smile glimmered out at him as he stooped and lifted her from the
grass.

"Can I really trust myself to your arms, Jim?" she murmured.

"You'd better get used to 'em," he retorted. "You'll never get away
from them again--I can tell you that right now!"

"Oh.... In that case, I hope they'll be--comfortable--your arms."

"Do you think they will be, Thessa?"

"Perhaps." She gazed into his eyes very seriously from where she lay
cradled in his powerful arms.

"I'm tired, Jim.... So sore and bruised.... When he was choking me I
tried to think of you--believing it was the end--my last conscious
thought----"

"My darling!----"

"I'm so tired," she breathed, "so lonely.... I shall be--contented--in
your arms.... Always----" She turned her head and rested her cheek
against his breast with a deep sigh.

* * * * *

H