s when,
during the early days of the mission, he had seen a native priest tear
out the heart of a victim destined for a cannibal feast, and hold it up
to the people.

Suddenly little Mrs. Deighton gasped and tottered as they hurried her
along; she was already exhausted. Then Deighton stopped.

"Mr. Blount... go on by yourself. We have not your strength to run at
this speed. I will help my wife along in a minute or two. Some of the
mission people will surely come to our aid."

"Will they?" said Blount grimly. "Look for yourself and see; there's not
a soul in the whole village. They have gone to see----" and he made an
expressive gesture.

Mr. Deighton groaned. "My God, it is terrible!--" then suddenly, as he saw
his wife's deathly features, his real nature came out "Mr. Blount, you
are a brave man. For God's sake save my dear wife! I am too exhausted to
run any further. I am too weak from my last attack of the fever. But we
are only a quarter of a mile away from your house now. Take her on with
you, but give me your revolver. I can at least cover your retreat for a
time."

Blount hesitated, then giving the weapon to the missionary, he lifted
the fainting woman in his arms, and said--

"Try and come on a little; as soon as I am in sight of the house your
wife will be safe; you must at least keep me in sight."

As the trader strode along, carrying the unconscious woman in his strong
arms, the missionary looked at the weapon in his hand, and shuddered
again.

"May God forgive me if I have done wrong," he muttered. "But take the
life of one of His creatures to save my own I never will. Yet to save
hers I must do it."

Then with trembling feet but brave heart he walked unsteadily along
after the trader and his burden. So far, no sound had reached him since
that one dreadful cry smote upon his ear, and a hope began to rise in
his breast that no immediate danger threatened. A short distance away,
embowered among the trees, was the house of Burrowes. The door was
closed, and not a sign of life was discernible about the place.

"Heavens, were they asleep?" He had heard that Burrowes and the German
had been carousing all the morning with the captain of the _Starlight_.
Likely enough they were all lying in a drunken slumber. "God, give me
strength to warn them," he said to himself; and then with a last glance
at Blount and his wife, he resolutely turned aside and began to ascend
the hill.

But before he gained the su