Muriel rose and laid her hand solemnly on his arm. "You will!" she
answered, boldly. "You can! You must! I know I can trust your promise for
that. This moment, if you like. I would not shrink. But you will never
let me fall alive into the hands of those wretches. Felix, from _your_
hand I could stand anything. I'm not afraid to die. I love you too
dearly."

Felix held her white little wrist in his grasp and sobbed like a child.
Her very bravery and confidence seemed to unman him, utterly.

She looked at him once more. "When?" she asked, quietly, but with lips as
pale as death.

"In about four months from now," Felix answered, endeavoring to be calm.

"And they will kill us both?"

"Yes, both. I think so."

"Together?"

"Together."

Muriel drew a deep sigh.

"Will you know the day beforehand?" she asked.

"Yes. The Frenchman told me it. He has known others killed in the
self-same fashion."

"Then, Felix---the night before it comes, you will promise me, will you?"

"Muriel, Muriel, I could never dare to kill you."

She laid her hand soothingly on his. She stroked him gently. "You are
a man," she said, looking up into his eyes with confidence. "I trust
you. I believe in you. I know you will never let these savages hurt
me.... Felix, in spite of everything, I've been happier since we came to
this island together than ever I have been in my life before. I've had my
wish. I didn't want to miss in life the one thing that life has best
worth giving. I haven't missed it now. I know I haven't; for I love you,
and you love me. After that, I can die, and die gladly. If I die with
_you_, that's all I ask. These seven or eight terrible weeks have made me
feel somehow unnaturally calm. When I came here first I lived all the
time in an agony of terror. I've got over the agony of terror now. I'm
quite resigned and happy. All I ask is to be saved--by you--from the
cruel hands of these hateful cannibals."

Felix raised her white hand just once to his lips. It was the first time
he had ever ventured to kiss her. He kissed it fervently. She let it drop
as if dead by her side.

"Now tell me all that happened," she said. "I'm strong enough to bear it.
I feel such a woman now--so wise and calm. These few weeks have made me
grow from a girl into a woman all at once. There's nothing I daren't
hear, if you'll tell me it, Felix."

Felix took up her hand again and held it in his, as he narrated the whole
story of his visit t