he warriors were shrieking and brandishing their weapons and bullets
spatted the rocks--all this while yet my hand shook to the recoil of the
revolver and the smoke was still wafting from the poised muzzle.

What had I done? But done it was.

CHAPTER XX

THE QUEEN WINS

She arrived breathless, distraught, instantly to drag me down beside her,
from where I stood stupidly defiant.

"Keep out of sight," she panted. And--"Oh, why did you do it? Why did you?
I think you killed him--they'll never forgive. They'll call it treachery.
You're lost, lost."

"But he sha'n't have you," I gabbled. "Let them kill me if they can. Till
then you're mine. Mine! Don't you understand? I want you."

"I don't understand," she faltered. She turned frightened face upon me.
"You should have let me go. Nothing can save you now; not even I. You've
ruined the one chance you had. I wonder why. It was my own choice--you had
no hand in it, and it was my own chance, too." Her voice broke, her eyes
welled piteously. "But you fired on him."

"That was the only answer left me," I entreated. "You misjudged me, you
shamed me. I tell you----"

Her lips slightly curled.

"Misjudged you? Shamed you? Was that all? You've misjudged and shamed me
for so long----" A burst of savage hoots renewed interrupted. "They're
coming!" She knelt up, to peer; I peered. The Indians had deployed,
leaving the chief lying upon the ground, their fierce countenances glaring
at our asylum. How clear their figures were, in the sunshine, limned
against the lazy yellowish sand, under the peaceful blue! "They'll
surround us. I might parley for myself, but I can do nothing for you."

"Parley, then," I bade. "Save yourself, any way you can."

She drew in, whitening as if I had struck her.

"And you accuse me of having misjudged you! I save myself--merely myself?
What do you intend to do? Fight?"

"As long as you are with me; and after. They'll never take me alive; and
take you they shall not if I can prevent it. Damn them, if they get you I
mean to make them pay for you. You're all I have."

"You'd rather I'd stay? You need me? Could I help?"

"Need you!" I groaned. "I'm just finding out, too late."

"And help? How? Quick! Could I?"

"By staying; by not surrendering yourself--your honor, my honor. By saying
that you'd rather stay with me, for life, for death, here,
anywhere--after I've said that I'm not deaf, blind, dumb, ungrateful. I
love you; I'd rather d