he was obliged to
steady himself against the rock till the vertigo passed. His
assailants had hurt him more than he had thought. But he took up his
vigil and maintained it faithfully till all sense of danger had
vanished.

Rachel, who had been watching his face, touched his hand at last, and
bade him rest. The invitation was welcome and with a sigh he sank down
beside her.

"Lie down," she said softly. "Thou hast been most cruelly misused.
And all for me!"

Obediently, he slipped from a sitting to a recumbent posture. She put
out her arm, and supporting him, seemed about to take his head into her
lap. Instead, she slipped the mantle from the strap that bound it
across his shoulders, and rolling it swiftly, made a pillow of it for
his head.

The wallet that had hung by the same strap over his shoulder, attracted
her attention and she guessed that it had been used as a carrier for
provision. She laid it open and took out the water-bottle. The
pith-stopper had held, during all the violent motion, and the dull
surface of the porous and ever-cooling pottery was cold and wet.

She put the bottle to his lips and, after he had drunk, bathed his
bruises most tenderly.

Succumbing to the gentle influence of her fingers, he put up his hands
to take them, but they moved out of his reach in the most natural
manner possible. He could not feel that she had purposely avoided his
touch, but he made no further attempt when the soothing fingers
returned. Finally he raised himself on his elbow and supported his
head in his hand.

"Now am I new again," he said; "once more ready to help thee. Let us
take counsel together and get into safety and comfort." He paused a
moment till his serious words would not follow with unseeming
promptness upon his light tone.

"I know thy trouble, Rachel," he began again soberly. "There is no
need that thou shouldst hurt thyself by the telling. But there are
details which would be helpful in aiding thee if I had them in mind.
Thou knowest better than I. Wilt thou aid me?"

Her golden head drooped till her face was bowed upon her hands. After
a little silence she answered him, her voice low with shame.

"This man sought to take me before, at Pa-Ramesu, but Atsu learned of
it in time and sent me to Masaarah. This morning I met him again--"
She paused, and Kenkenes aided her.

"Aye, I can guess--poor affronted child!"

"Atsu meant to escape with me again, but the servants of th