for yourself what I have given to another."

"Can not, you say?" He clapped his hat on smartly and whistled for his
horse-holder; and when the man was gone to fetch the mounts for the
women, he finished out the sentence. "Listen you, in your turn, Mistress
Spitfire. I shall take what I list, and before you see your father's
house again, you'll beg me on your knees, as other women have, to marry
you for very shame's sake!"

It was then that Uncanoola did the skilfulest bit of jugglery it has
ever been my lot to witness. Posturing like one of those old Grecian
discus-throwers, he sent his scalping-knife handle foremost to glide
snake-like through the grass to stop at Margery's feet. Though I think
she knew not how it got there, she saw it, and the courage of the sight
helped her to say, quickly:

"When it comes to that, sir, I shall know how to keep faith with honor."

His laugh was the harshest mockery of mirth. "You will keep faith with
me, dear lady; do you hear? Otherwise--"

He turned to take the black mare from his man. At this my brave one set
her foot upon the weapon in the grass.

"I have no faith to keep with you, Captain Falconnet," she said.

[Illustration]

He struck back viciously. "Then, by heaven, you'd best make the
occasion. It has happened, ere this, that a lady as dainty as you are
has become a plaything for an Indian camp. It lies with me to save
you from that, my Mistress."

She stooped to gather her skirts for mounting, and in the act secured
and hid the knife. So her answer had in it the fine steadfastness of one
who may make desperate terms with death for honor's sake.

"I thank you for the warning, Captain Falconnet," she said, facing him
bravely to the last. "When the time comes, mayhap the dear God will give
me leave to die as my mother's daughter should."

"Bah!" said he; and with that he whistled for his troopers; and while we
looked, my dear lady and her tirewoman were helped upon their horses,
and at the leader's word of command the escort formed upon the captives
as a center. A moment later the little glade, with the smoldering embers
of the lodge fire to prick out its limits in dusky red, was empty, and
on the midnight stillness of the forest the minishing hoofbeats of the
horses came fainter and fainter till the distance swallowed them.

Then it was that my poor lad, famine-mad and frenzied, rose up to curse
me bitterly.

"Now may all the devils in hell drag you down to ev