u want me to
ask something of him. I won't do it for myself--no, not if you kill me
for refusing. I'll never do it for myself; but--but I will do it if you
won't separate us until he has had time to say his prayers."

"Oh, all right, then," he agreed. "If it's any consolation doing a
fool's trick like that, why--do it! Now come along, and let's get inside
the mill without any more nonsense. Lanisterre, bring that lantern here
so that mademoiselle can see the path to the door. This way, if you
please, Miss Lorne."

"Thank you," she said as she alighted and moved slowly in the direction
of the door, soothing the child as they crept along almost within touch
of the crumbling wall. "Ceddie, darling, don't cry. You are a brave
little hero, I know, and heroes are never afraid to die." From the tail
of her eye she watched Merode. He seemed to realise from these words to
the child that she was reconciled to the inevitable, and with an air of
satisfaction he put the pistol back into his pocket and walked beside
her. She kept straight on with her soothing words; and, in the
half-shadow, neither Merode nor Lanisterre could see that one hand was
lost in the folds of her skirt.

"Ceddie, darling, let Miss Lorne be able to tell mummie that her little
man was a hero; that he died, as heroes always die, without a fear or a
weakening to the very last. I'll stand by you, precious; I'll hold your
hand; and, when the time comes--"

It came then! The gateless archway was reached at last; and the thing
she had been planning all along now became possible. With one sudden
push she sent the boy reeling down the incline into the dry
water-course, flashed round sharply, and before Merode really knew how
the thing happened, she was standing with her back to the arch and a
revolver in her levelled hand.

"Throw up your arms--throw them up at once, or, as God hears me, I'll
shoot!" she cried. "Run, Ceddie--run, baby! He shan't follow you--I'll
kill him if he tries!"

"You idiot!" began Merode, and made a lurch toward her. But the pistol
barked, and something white-hot zigzagged along his arm and bit like a
flame into his shoulder.

"Up with your hands--up with them!" she said in a voice that shook with
excitement as he howled out and made a reeling backward step. "Next time
it will be the head I aim at, not the arm!" Then, lifting up her voice
in one loud shriek that made the echoes bound, she called with all her
strength; "Help, somebody--