killing Buckingham with no greater concern than one might
evince in the contemplated destruction of a sheep; yet she was neither
cruel nor vindictive. In fact, Victory is a very sweet and womanly
woman. But human life is of small account beyond thirty--a legacy from
the bloody days when thousands of men perished in the trenches between
the rising and the setting of a sun, when they laid them lengthwise in
these same trenches and sprinkled dirt over them, when the Germans
corded their corpses like wood and set fire to them, when women and
children and old men were butchered, and great passenger ships were
torpedoed without warning.

Thirty-six, finally assured that we did not intend slaying him, was as
keen to accompany us as was Victory.

The crossing to the continent was uneventful, its monotony being
relieved, however, by the childish delight of Victory and Thirty-six in
the novel experience of riding safely upon the bosom of the water, and
of being so far from land.

With the possible exception of Snider, the little party appeared in the
best of spirits, laughing and joking, or interestedly discussing the
possibilities which the future held for us: what we should find upon
the continent, and whether the inhabitants would be civilized or
barbarian peoples.

Victory asked me to explain the difference between the two, and when I
had tried to do so as clearly as possible, she broke into a gay little
laugh.

"Oh," she cried, "then I am a barbarian!"

I could not but laugh, too, as I admitted that she was, indeed, a
barbarian. She was not offended, taking the matter as a huge joke.
But some time thereafter she sat in silence, apparently deep in
thought. Finally she looked up at me, her strong white teeth gleaming
behind her smiling lips.

"Should you take that thing you call 'razor,'" she said, "and cut the
hair from the face of Thirty-six, and exchange garments with him, you
would be the barbarian and Thirty-six the civilized man. There is no
other difference between you, except your weapons. Clothe you in a
wolfskin, give you a knife and a spear, and set you down in the woods
of Grabritin--of what service would your civilization be to you?"

Delcarte and Taylor smiled at her reply, but Thirty-six and Snider
laughed uproariously. I was not surprised at Thirty-six, but I thought
that Snider laughed louder than the occasion warranted. As a matter of
fact, Snider, it seemed to me, was taking advantage of ev