t and Marut and
Miss Holmes.

Not a word passed between us. I think that all three of us
subconsciously were anxious not to awake the sleeping woman, knowing
that if we did so there would be a terrible scene. Only after motioning
to me to stand aside, of course in vain, Harut and Marut drew from their
robes curved and cruel-looking knives and bowed, for even now their
politeness did not forsake them. I bowed back and when I straightened
myself those enterprising Easterns found that I was covering the heart
of Harut with my pistol. Then with that perception which is part of the
mental outfit of the great, they saw that the game was up since I could
have shot them both before a knife touched me.

"You have won this time, O Watcher-by-Night," whispered Harut softly,
"but another time you will lose. That beautiful lady belongs to us and
the People of the White Kendah, for she is marked with the holy mark of
the young moon. The call of the Child of Heaven is heard in her heart,
and will bring her home to the Child as it has brought her to us
to-night. Now lead her hence still sleeping, O brave and clever one, so
well named Watcher-by-Night."

Then they were gone and presently I heard the sound of horses being
driven rapidly along the drive.

For a moment I hesitated as to whether I would or would not run in and
shoot those horses. Two considerations stayed me. The first was that
if I did so my pistol would be empty, or even if I shot one horse
and retained a barrel loaded, with it I could only kill a single man,
leaving myself defenceless against the knife of the other. The second
consideration was that now as before I did not wish to wake up Miss
Holmes.

I crept to her and not knowing what else to do, took hold of one of her
outstretched hands. She turned and came with me at once as though she
knew me, remaining all the while fast asleep. Thus we went back to the
house, through the still open door, up the stairway straight to her own
room, on the threshold of which I loosed her hand. The room was dark and
I could see nothing, but I listened until I heard a sound as of a person
throwing herself upon the bed and drawing up the blankets. Then knowing
that she was safe for a while, I shut the door, which opened outwards
as doors of ancient make sometimes do, and set against it a little table
that stood in the passage.

Next, after reflecting for a minute, the circumstances being awkward in
many ways, I went to my room