uch moment to her.

"I'd like to get out," she answered. "And I'm not afraid. I was
just startled. You looked so strong and handsome, and your armor
shone so. Now I'll fight you."

The sentinel, slightly astonished, leaned forward, and looked at
Maya and smiled. It was not an ugly smile, and Maya experienced
an entirely new feeling: the young warrior's smile seemed to
exercise a mysterious power over her heart.

"No, little one," he said almost tenderly, "you and I won't
fight. You bees belong to a powerful nation, but man for man we
hornets are stronger. To do single battle with a bee would be
beneath our dignity. If you like you may stay here a little
while and chat. But only a little while. Soon I'll have to wake
the soldiers up; then, back to your cell you must go."

How curious! The hornet's lofty friendliness disarmed Maya more
than anger or hate could have done. The feeling with which he
inspired her was almost admiration. With great sad eyes she
looked up at her enemy, and constrained, as always, to follow
the impulses of her heart, she said:

"I have always heard bad things about hornets. But you are not
bad. I can't believe you're bad."

The warrior looked at Maya.

"There are good people and bad people everywhere," he said,
gravely. "But you mustn't forget we are your enemies, and shall
always remain your enemies."

"Must an enemy always be bad?" asked Maya. "Before, when you
were looking out into the moonlight, I forgot that you were hard
and dangerous. You seemed sad, and I have always thought that
people who were sad couldn't possibly be wicked."

The sentinel said nothing, and Maya continued more boldly:

"You are powerful. If you want to, you can put me back in my
cell, and I'll have to die. But you can also set me free--if
you want to."

At this the warrior drew himself up. His armor clanked, and the
arm he raised shone in the moonlight.

But the moonlight was turning dimmer in the passageway. Was dawn
coming already?

"You are right," he said. "I can. My people and my queen have
entrusted me with this power. My orders are that no bee who has
set foot in this fortress shall leave it alive. I shall keep
faith with my people."

After a pause he added softly as if to himself: "I have learned
by bitter experience how faithlessness can hurt--when Loveydear
forsook me...."

Little Maya was overcome. She did not know what to say. Ah, the
same sentiments moved her, too--love of her own ki