The good God! What has happened?"

"I have deceived you, Nicholas," she whispered, hoarsely. "The writing
was not the writing of the King. It was Domiloff's plot, and I wanted
to see you King. The King has saved my life. Forever, Nicholas, you
and I must be his faithful subjects. I have given my word. I have
pledged your honour."

Then into the face of Nicholas of Reist there came a transfiguring and
almost holy joy. He uttered no word of reproach. The glory of life
was once more hot in his pulses. He drew her to him.

"Thank God!" he sobbed. "This way, Marie! Now listen!"

She stooped with him over that awful chaos. From below came a sound
like the falling of autumn rains upon dead leaves. He held her to him.

"It is the Turks," he whispered.

She sprang away in horror, but he laughed softly.

"Marie," he said, "that is well. Instead of a sleeping camp our guns
will rake the Pass, our men await only the signal. Up here, where one
is near God, one sees clearly. I am the faithful servant of Theos,
even though the King had been my enemy. See!"

He listened for a moment, and then crossing the hill, took a torch
from the stand and plunged it into the heart of the great beacon.
Tongues of fire leaped up to the sky, and a hoarse murmur passed like
a wind through the camp. Then the ground beneath them shook with the
roar of artillery. Nicholas took her by the arm.

"Ride for Theos at once," he directed. "You will be quite safe, for no
Turk will pass alive through the Pass. Tell the King that I am his
faithful servant."

* * * * *

About halfway to Theos, Brand, galloping furiously out from the city,
came face to face with Marie riding leisurely home on a small pony. He
leaped from his horse in amazement.

"Marie," he exclaimed, "what is happening at the Pass? How came you
here?"

She was very tired, but she smiled at him reassuringly.

"Nicholas has over ten thousand Turks in the defile," she said. "They
must either surrender or be killed."

"Thank God!" he exclaimed.

She got off her pony and sat on a bank.

"I am very tired," she said, and, swaying suddenly towards him,
fainted in his arms.

Brand was a man of resource, and in a few minutes she reopened her
eyes. He poured some brandy between her lips, and she sat up.

"I am very sorry," she said. "I rode last night from Theos to Althea,
and I have had no rest."

He made her drink some milk. They sat hand in hand, a wo