deceive
me at such a time. Is there really no hope?"

It would have been worse than folly to speak false words of comfort now,
and with an effort I answered:

"No; all hope is gone. You must know the worst, my darling! We have but
a little while to live. Heaven has deserted us. Oh, God, that it should
be my lot to tell you this!" She crept closer to me, hiding her face on
my breast. For nearly a minute she was still, while confusion and
clamor, Indian yells, and musketry fire reigned round us. I could feel
the agitated heaving of her bosom, the throbbing of her heart. Then she
looked up at me bravely, with a sublime expression in her tear-dimmed
eyes that brought to my mind the Christian martyrs of old.

"God is love and mercy, dearest Denzil," she said. "If it is His will
that we die we must submit. We will find in heaven the happiness that is
denied us on earth."

"It is a cruel, cruel fate!" I cried fiercely. "I would suffer ten
deaths to save you--"

"It is better thus," she interrupted. "We shall not be separated!
Promise me, Denzil, that you will not let the Indians take me alive!"

I tried to speak, but a sob choked my utterance. I nodded assent, and
just then my name was called from the other end of the hall. I kissed
Flora and led her forward, putting her in the care of Mrs. Menzies. The
men were standing about in groups, some talking, some nervously loading
guns, and others staring vacantly at the floor.

"We are considering what we had better do," said Captain Rudstone, "and
we want your opinion, Carew. If we stick to the house it means death for
all of us by suffocation or by flames. If we sally out there is a
possibility that one or more of us may break through and escape."

"No chance of that," Carteret answered bluntly. "The devils will be
ready for us, and we shall be hemmed in and butchered to a man. I prefer
to die fighting myself; but think of the women! Suffocation will be the
easiest fate for them."

I made no reply, for I did not know what to say--what alternative to
choose. It was a horrible prospect either way, and I contemplated it
with rage and despair, with such a whirl in my brain that I thought I
should go mad. The musketry fire was dwindling a little, but the
whooping and yelling of the exultant savages suddenly rose to a higher
pitch, making such a din that the voices of my companions were quite
drowned.

There was still an interval of time left in which to reach a
decision--