o cope with 'em
should they return."

"Now thank God!" cries she, clasping my hand in both of hers. "Thank
God, Martin! I feared you had killed them all!"

"Why, I did my best," I sighed, shaking my head, "but they were too
strong for me! Would to God I had indeed slain--"

"Hush, Martin, O hush!" And here she claps her pretty hand to my lips,
where I straightway 'prisoned it to my kisses. "Though truly," says
she the whiles this was a-doing, "from your raving I feared them all
slain at your hand, so do I rejoice to know you innocent of their
deaths!" Here, her hand released, she fell a-laughing (albeit a little
tremulously) to see my face all patched with flour; and so, back to her
labour.

"But, Martin," says she, turning to glance at me in a while, "You must
be very terrible to drive away these four great men, and very brave!"

"Here was no bravery!" quoth I, "Methought you surely dead and I meant
them to slay me also."

"Did you--miss me--so greatly?" she questioned and not looking at me.

"Yes!"

"You fought them in Skeleton Cove, beyond Deliverance, Martin?"

"Aye! You found their guns there?"

"And the sand all trampled and hatefully stained. 'Tis an evil place,
Martin."

"And so it is!" says I. "But as to these weapons, there were two good
firelocks I mind, and besides--"

"They are all here, Martin, guns and swords and pistols. You raved for
them in your sickness so I fetched them while you slept. Though indeed
you have no need of these, there be weapons of every sort in the
Treasure cave, 'tis like an arsenal."

"Ha, with good store of powder and shot, comrade?"

"Yes, Martin."

"How many weeks have I lain sick, comrade?"

"Nay, 'twas only four days."

At this I fell to marvelling that so much of agony might be endured in
so little time.

"And you--tended me, Damaris?"

"Why, to be sure, Martin."

"And so saved my life."

"So I pray may it be a life lived to noble purpose, Martin."

And now I sat awhile very thoughtful and watched her shape the dough
into little cakes and set them to bake.

"I must contrive you an oven and this at once!" says I.

"When you are strong again, Martin."

"Nay, I'm well, thanks to your care of me. And truly 'twill be
wonderful to eat bread again."

"But I warned you I had no yeast!" says she, looking at me a little
anxiously, "Nay, sir, why must you smile?"

"'Tis strange to see you at such labour and clad so vastly fine!"

"Indeed,