saw they were already making sail.
Roused by this I came beside my lady, and found my voice at last.

"Here was the work of chance--not I, Damaris, not I!"

But she, gazing ever on that piteous, limp form, sought to silence me
with a gesture. "God, Damaris, you'll never doubt my word?
Speak--will you not speak to me? He threatened me--we strove together
and the pistol went off in his grasp--"

"Damned Murderer!" cried one of the gentlemen.

After this I held my peace, despairing, and thus we went in silence
until before us was Deliverance Beach. All at once I caught her up in
my arms and, despite her struggles, began to bear her back up the
ascent. For a moment only she strove, uttering no word, then hiding
her face against me, suffered me to bear her where I would. But now I
heard shouts and cries that told me I was pursued:

"You are mine, Damaris!" I cried, "Mine henceforth, and no man shall
take you from me whiles I live!"

Despite my haste the noise of pursuit waxed louder, spurring me to
greater effort. And now it became the end and aim of my existence to
reach the cave in time, wherefore I began to run, on and up, until my
breath came in great, panting sobs; my heart seemed bursting, and in my
throbbing brain a confusion of wild thoughts:

"Better die thus, my love upon my heart ... The ship shall sail without
us ... The door of the cave is stout, God be thanked and, firing from
the loophole, I may withstand them all."

Breathless and reeling I gained the plateau at last, but as I staggered
towards the cave I tripped and fell heavily, crushing her beneath me.
But I struggled up, and bearing her within the cave, laid her upon my
bed and closing the door, barred it; then I reached my muskets from
their rack and set them in readiness. This done, and finding my lady so
still and silent, I came to view her where she lay and, peering in the
dimness, uttered a great cry to see the pale oval of cheek horribly
bedabbled with blood. Trembling in a sickness of fear I sank beside
her on my knees, then, seeing she yet breathed, I parted the silky hair
above her temple and so came on a cruel gash. Now as I strove to
staunch this precious blood I heard again the echoing thunder of a gun.

"Damaris!" says I, clasping her to me and kissing her pallid lips, "O
Damaris, they are summoning us to England, d'ye hear, beloved, d'ye
hear? Well, they shall call in vain--they shall sail without us. Love
hath found us a