ine. He bathed her temples and wrists with the
liquor, and forced some between her blue lips. And Pearse chafed her
hands and patted them, gazing down at her in silent awe.

"Venner," he whispered, when her eyes refused to open, "we must let this
settle the score against her. It's a terrible end for such a creature."

"For my part, Pearse, I would give all I have just to see those great
violet eyes laugh at me again; to hear that mocking laugh from her
maddening lips. God, will she never awake?"

Astern of the schooner the sun was slowly descending to the western
sea-rim, and as the course was resumed after picking up Dolores, the
Point and the cliff gradually drew out across the path of the sun, until
the outlines of the rock and trees stood out black and sharp. On the
cliff-top a heavy pall of greasy smoke hung low about the shattered
pirates' camp; from fissures high up the frowning side spirals of smoke
testified to the wide-spread destruction that followed the blast.

They looked at the terrific devastation, and again at its nearer victim.
And as they gazed down at her, Dolores's lips trembled in a faint smile,
her great eyes opened wide, looking directly and fearlessly back at
them.

"I thank ye, my friends; I knew you would take me," she whispered, and
the two men turned away with a shudder. As she had lived, Dolores was
now meeting her inevitable end, bold and indomitable.

"Where are you hurt?" inquired Venner lamely. "Let me do something to
ease you."

"Ease?" she laughed as of old, but her teeth clenched upon her lower lip
immediately, with the pain it caused. "I shall ask ye to ease me
presently, good friends. Grim Death has me by the throat already. But
carry me outside. I am stifling in here. Let me see the ocean and the
sky at least in my passage. And I have something to tell ye also."

On the gratings around the stern, abaft the wheel, they laid her on soft
cushions. She drank greedily of the wine and water they offered her;
she quivered with eagerness to unburden her mind before her thirst was
quenched forever. She motioned them, to bend over her, and began to
speak in, husky whispers.

"That chest, thou cast it overboard. Dost know what was in it?"

Both shook their heads. None had seen inside the chests after they came
from the great chamber.

"I'll tell ye, then, for the peace of your souls and the tranquillity of
your voyage. Lest thy men be seized with a desire for treasure that
shall