he went to his own
couch. John Pearse wandered deep into the eery forest, his brain filled
with tumultuous fancies, while Craik Tomlin and Rupert Venner lay in the
dark before the open doors of their separate cells, struggling for a
decision with their own good and evil natures. But Dolores, before
retiring called Pascherette to dress her hair and gave the little
octoroon some secret instructions against the morning.

"Now to thy bed, girl, and wake with bright eyes," said Dolores, her
toilet completed. "Let thy busy tongue wag its liveliest then; see to it
that the strangers hear whispers and rumors, yet keep them apart and
from harm a while. Thy task with the other rabble is easy. I care not
how they are divided. But divided they must be; to the point of mutiny.
Go, and sweet dreams to thee."

It was then that a subtle happiness stole into Dolores's face; then her
great luminous eyes closed slowly in utter peace; then that she lay down
with a gentle sigh on her couch of furs and slept care-free and smiling.

Dreams not of the brightest might have ruffled her calm had she seen the
night watch of her maid. For the moment Pascherette was dismissed, and
gave a second thought to her orders, a light of dawning hope,
prospective triumph, broke over the small, gold-tinted face and
sleepiness fled for the night.

"Divided they shall be!" she whispered, and hugged herself rapturously.
"Divided to her disaster and--Milo's triumph!"

Then the maid wrapped herself in a robe, and went out to the camp.

Like a fantom she appeared to Venner, and as swiftly vanished; but in
the moment that she bent over him she whispered in his ear that Tomlin
was the chosen of Dolores; that he and Pearse were doomed at the hands
of their friend.

"I tell thee, watch," she said. "By noon to-morrow the truth shall be
shown to thee." And in leaving him she placed in his hands the rapier
that had been taken from him by Dolores.

To Tomlin next she appeared, and his rapier also she returned; but in
his ear was breathed the name of John Pearse. To find Pearse himself was
harder; but she waited, and shortly before the dawn he emerged from the
forest and walked dully toward his own charred cell.

"Hah, my friend," she said to him, suddenly appearing from the shades.
"I fear thy tardiness has defeated thee. Now thou'lt need to look to
thyself, for the man Venner has vowed thy life to Dolores, and that of
Tomlin."

"What! Venner?"

"Surely. Why