CHAPTER XX.

HAZEL thought her reason was going; and, instead of looking at the men's
eyes, it was hers he examined. But no; the sweet cheek was white, the
eyes had a fearful hollow all round them, but, out of that cave the light
hazel eye, preternaturally large, but calm as ever, looked out, full of
fortitude, resignation, and reason.

"Don't look at _me,"_ said she, quietly; "but take an opportunity and
look at _them._ They mean to kill me."

Hazel looked furtively round; and, being enlightened in part by the
woman's intelligence, he observed that some of the men were actually
glaring at himself and Helen Rolleston in a dreadful way. There was a
remarkable change in their eyes since he looked last. The pupils seemed
diminished, the whites enlarged; and, in a word, the characteristics of
humanity had, somehow, died out of those bloodshot orbs, and the animal
alone shone in them now; the wild beast, driven desperate by hunger.

What he saw, coupled with Helen's positive interpretation of it, was
truly sickening.

These men were six, and he but one. They had all clasp-knives; and he had
only an old penknife that would be sure to double up or break off if a
blow were dealt with it.

He asked himself, in utter terror, what on earth he should do.

The first thing seemed to be to join the men and learn their minds. It
might also be as well to prevent this secret conference from going
further.

He went forward boldly, though sick at heart, and said, "Well, my lads,
what is it?"

The men were silent directly, and looked sullenly down, avoiding his eye;
yet not ashamed.

In a situation so terrible, the senses are sharpened; and Hazel
dissected, in his mind, this sinister look, and saw that Morgan, Prince
and Mackintosh were hostile to him.

But Welch and Cooper he hoped were still friendly.

"Sir," said Fenner, civilly but doggedly, "we are come to this now, that
one must die, for the others to live. And the greater part of us are for
casting lots all round, and let every man, and every woman too, take
their chance. That is fair, Sam, isn't it?"

"It is fair," said Cooper, with a terrible doggedness. "But it is hard,"
he added.

"Harder that seven should die for one," said Mackintosh. "No, no; one
must die for the seven."

Hazel represented, with all the force language possesses, that what they
meditated was a crime, the fatal result of which was known by experience.

But they heard in ominous silence.

H