o now, it will be to meet them. Shall I go?"

"No, no," groaned Landless. "It is too late. God help you! I cannot."

The large tears gathered in her eyes and fell over her white cheeks.
"Oh, why," she said plaintively, "why did He let you hurt yourself just
now?" She turned her face to the rock against which she was standing,
and hiding it in her arm, broke into a low sobbing. It went to the heart
of the man at her feet to hear her.

Presently the weeping ceased. She drew a long tremulous sigh, and dashed
the tears from her eyes. Her hands went up to her disheveled hair in a
little involuntary, feminine gesture, and she looked at him with a wan
smile.

"I did not mean to be so cowardly," she said simply. "I will be brave
now."

"You are the bravest woman in the world," he answered.

Below them waved the painted forest flaunting triumphant banners of
crimson and gold. A strong south wind was blowing, and it brought to
them a sound as of the whispering of many voices. The shining river,
too, murmured to its reeds and pebbles, and in the air was the dull
whirr of wings as the vast flocks of wild fowl rose like dark smoke from
the water, or, skimming along its surface, broke it into myriad diamond
sprays. Around the horizon towered heaped-up masses of cloud--Ossa piled
on Pelion--fantastic Jack-and-the-Beanstalk castles, built high above
the world, with rampart and turret and bastion of pearl and coral. Above
rose the sky intensely blue and calm.

All the wealth, the warmth and loveliness of the world they were about
to leave flowed over the souls of the doomed pair. In their hearts they
each said farewell to it forever. Patricia stood with uplifted face and
clear eyes, looking deep into the azure heaven. "I am trying to think,"
she said, "that death is not so bitter after all. To-day is
beautiful--but ours will be a fairer morrow! After to-day we will never
be tired, or fear, or be in danger any more. I am not afraid to die; but
ah! if it could only come to us now, swiftly, silently, out of the blue
yonder; if we could go without the blood--the horror--" she broke off
shuddering. Her eyes closed and she rested her head against the rock.
Landless watched the beautiful, pale face, the quivering eyelids, the
coral underlip drawn between the pearly teeth, in a passion of pity and
despair. Horrid visions of torture flashed through his brain; he saw the
delicate limbs writhing, heard the agonized screams.... If he killed