d not how great an hurt had been done upon
Mine Own.

And I ran to her, and came to where she did be upon the ground; and
surely she was all huddled, and had her hands very piteous to her
throat, that did be so pretty. And it did shake me in that moment that
she was truly slain; for she was gone so utter still and as that she did
be broken unto death.

And I took her hands from her throat, and surely it did be a little
torn; yet not to be much, or so that it should loose her of her dear
life. And I strove that I steady the trembling of my hands; and I gat
free of mine armoured gloves; and made that I feel whether her throat
did be deadly hurt; and, in verity, it seemed not so; only that my hands
did so shake, because that I was so frightened for Mine Own, and because
that I was but new come from the battle; and because of this, I had not
power of touch to assure me.

I made then that I quieten my breath, which did yet come very full and
laboured; and I put mine ear above the heart of the Maid, and lo! her
heart did beat, and the horridness of my fear went from me in a moment.

And I had the scrip from my back very speedy, and some of the water to
fizz, and I dashed the water upon her face and upon her throat; and
surely there did be a little quivering and an answering of her body.

And I strove with her for a while more; and she came unto her life
again; and in the first, she was all a-lack, as you may think; and
immediately she began that she remembered, and she then to shake.

And I told her how that the Four-Armed Man was surely dead and could
harm her no more; and she then to weep, because that she had been put
to such shock and horror, and held by so brutish a thing. But I took her
into mine arms, and so she did come presently to an ease; and I
perceived in all my being that she was as a little ship that doth lie in
harbour; for she did cling and nestle unto me; and did be safe with me
in all her heart and body and belief. And surely she was Mine Own, and I
to have glory in that knowing.

And presently, I put her from mine arms, to lie; yet so that she might
not perceive the body of the Yellow Beast-Man. And I made clean the
Diskos, from her sight, and afterward I put on the scrip; and I took the
Maid to mine arms again, and had the Diskos in my hand beside her.

And she made protest that she should truly walk; for that I was all
a-weary, and she come to her strength again. And, indeed, I carried her
a cer