"They warned me, and they were right in doing so. Ask yourself if they
were not. Would you see a sister of yours running the risk of breaking
her heart without warning her? Do not be angry," she went on, putting
her hand on his arm. "We have been good friends, Captain Forster, and I
like you very much. We may never meet again; it is most likely we never
shall do so. I am grateful to you for the many pleasant hours you have
given me. Let us part thus."

"Can you not give some hope that in the distance, when these troubles
are over, should we both be spared, you may--"

"No, Captain Forster, I am sure it could never be so; if we ever meet
again, we will meet as we part now--as friends. And now I can stay no
longer; they will be missing me," and, turning, she entered the house
before he could speak again.

It was some minutes before he followed her. He had not really thought
that she would go with him; perhaps he had hardly wished it, for on
such an expedition a woman would necessarily add to the difficulty and
danger; but he had thought that she would have told him that his love
was returned, and for perhaps the first time in his life he was serious
in his protestation of it.

"What does it matter?" he said at last, as he turned; "'tis ten thousand
to one against our meeting again; if we do, I can take it up where it
breaks off now. She has acknowledged that she would have liked me if she
had been sure that I was in earnest. Next time I shall be so. She was
right. I was but amusing myself with her at first, and had no more
thought of marrying her than I had of flying. But there, it is no use
talking about the future; the thing now is to get out of this trap. I
have felt like a rat in a cage with a terrier watching me for the last
month, and long to be on horseback again, with the chance of making a
fight for my life. What a fool Bathurst was to throw away the chance!"

Bathurst, his work done, had looked into the hall where the others were
gathered, and hearing that the Doctor was alone on watch had gone up to
him.

"I was just thinking, Bathurst," the Doctor said, as he joined him,
"about that fight today. It seems to me that whatever comes of this
business, you and I are not likely to be among those who go down when
the place is taken."

"How is that, Doctor? Why is our chance better than the rest? I have no
hope myself that any will be spared."

"I put my faith in the juggler, Bathurst. Has it not struck y