y
forgetful of herself and her own danger, and had thought and wrought for
the preservation of other people alone, was not challenged, or
criticized, or commented upon by anybody there, but was taken by all as
matter of course and true. It shows how clearly her character was
defined, and how well it was known and established.

There was silence for a time, and perhaps we were all thinking of the
same thing--namely, what a poor figure we had cut in that adventure as
contrasted with Joan's performance. I tried to think up some good way of
explaining why I had run away and left a little girl at the mercy of a
maniac armed with an ax, but all of the explanations that offered
themselves to me seemed so cheap and shabby that I gave the matter up and
remained still. But others were less wise. Noel Rainguesson fidgeted
awhile, then broke out with a remark which showed what his mind had been
running on:

"The fact is, I was taken by surprise. That is the reason. If I had had a
moment to think, I would no more have thought of running that I would
think of running from a baby. For, after all, what is Theophile Benoist,
that I should seem to be afraid of him? Pooh! the idea of being afraid of
that poor thing! I only wish he would come along now--I'd show you!"

"So do I!" cried Pierre Morel. "If I wouldn't make him climb this tree
quicker than--well, you'd see what I would do! Taking a person by
surprise, that way--why, I never meant to run; not in earnest, I mean. I
never thought of running in earnest; I only wanted to have some fun, and
when I saw Joan standing there, and him threatening her, it was all I
could do to restrain myself from going there and just tearing the livers
and lights out of him. I wanted to do it bad enough, and if it was to do
over again, I would! If ever he comes fooling around me again, I'll--"

"Oh, hush!" said the Paladin, breaking in with an air of disdain; "the
way you people talk, a person would think there's something heroic about
standing up and facing down that poor remnant of a man. Why, it's
nothing! There's small glory to be got in facing him down, I should say.
Why, I wouldn't want any better fun than to face down a hundred like him.
If he was to come along here now, I would walk up to him just as I am
now--I wouldn't care if he had a thousand axes--and say--"

And so he went on and on, telling the brave things he would say and the
wonders he would do; and the others put in a word from time