ceforth and more precious than life to me. So must you bide here--I
charge you by our love. For look now, 'tis in my mind Tressady and his
pirates are upon us at last, those same rogues that dogged the
'Faithful Friend' over seas. Howbeit I must find out who or what is it
is that sings this hateful--" I stopped, all at once, for the voice was
come again, nearer, louder than before, and singing the very words I
had been hearkening for and dreading to hear:

"There's a fine Spanish dame,
And Joanna's her name,
Shall follow wherever ye go:
'Till your black heart shall feel
Yow cursed steel:
Black Bartlemy--Bartlemy ho!"

"You heard!" says I, clapping hand on knife, "You heard?"

"Yes--yes," she whispered, her embrace tightening until I might feel
her soft body all a-tremble against mine. "But you are safe--here,
Martin!"

"So safe," says I, "that needs must I go and find out this thing--nay,
never fear, beloved, life hath become so infinite precious that I shall
be a very coward--a craven for your sake. Here shall be no fighting,
Damaris, but go I must. Meanwhile do you wait me in the secret cave
and let down the ladder only to my whistle."

But now, and lying all trembling in my embrace, she brake into
passionate weeping, and I powerless to comfort her.

"Farewell happiness!" she sobbed. "Only, Martin, dear Martin,
whatsoever may chance, know and remember always that I loved and shall
love you to the end of time."

Then (and all suddenly) she was her sweet, calm self again, and
bringing me my chain-shirt, insisted I must don it there and then
beneath my fine doublet, the which (to please her) I did. Then she
brought me one of the arquebuses, but this I put by as too cumbersome,
taking one of the pistols in its stead. So, armed with this together
with my hatchet and trusty knife, I stepped from the cave and she
beside me. And now I saw she had dried her tears and the hand clasping
mine was firm and resolute, so that my love and wonder grew.

"Damaris," I cried, casting me on my knees before her, "O God, how I do
love thee!" And, kneeling thus, I clasped her slender loveliness,
kissing the robes that covered her; and so, rising to my feet I hasted
away. Yet in a little I turned to see her watching me but with hands
clasped as one in prayer. Now, beholding her thus, I was seized of a
sudden great desire to go back to give her that promise and swear that
oath she sought of me, viz., that