uld endure to
voluntarily face such a fate when a word would deliver them. So thought
many of the spectators, and they were right; mere human nature could not
have endured it, but these Christians were strengthened in a way that
the ungodly will neither believe nor understand. One by one they were
led to the edge of the cliff, suspended over the edge, and had the
testing-question put to them, and, one by one, the answer was a decisive
"No!"

But where was the tyrant Queen while this scene of butchery was being
enacted? In her chamber in the palace--comparatively, yet not
altogether, regardless of the matter.

Her son Rakota stood beside her. Our friend the Secretary stood at the
door.

"Mother," said the Prince, quietly, "they are being hurled down now--and
little Ra-Ruth is among them."

The Queen looked up, startled. "No, no!" she said, hesitatingly.
"Ra-Ruth must not--but--but--I must not seem to my people to be weak--
yet I would save her."

Rakota gave a gentle nod to the Secretary, who instantly vanished. He
reached the place of execution only just in time. The rope was already
round the girl's slender waist, and the testing-question had been put--
but her timidity had flown, and was replaced by a calm, almost angelic,
expression, as she gazed up to Heaven, clasped her hands, and, with a
flush of enthusiasm, exclaimed--

"No--Jesus--no, I will _never_ cease to worship Thee!"

A murmur of mingled surprise and pity broke from the crowd. At that
moment the Secretary came forward.

"The Queen," he said, "has sent me to ask you, Ra-Ruth, whether you will
not worship our gods and save your life."

"No," answered the girl, firmly. "I have been weak--a coward--but now
God has sent me strength by His own Holy Spirit, and my fixed
determination is to go this day with my dear brothers and sisters to
Heaven."

"You are a fool! You are _mad_!" exclaimed an officer standing by, as
he struck her on the head.

"Yes, she is _mad_," said the Secretary to the officer in command.
"Send a messenger to tell the Queen that Ra-Ruth has lost her reason.
Meanwhile, let her be taken away and guarded well till the Queen's
pleasure regarding her is known."

But although this poor girl was thus snatched from death at the last
moment, no mercy was extended to the others. All were thrown over the
cliff and dashed to pieces at that time except Ramatoa. When the
question was put to her, last of all, she, as might have