Page 166 (1/1)

Over and over I turned such unhappy thoughts inbrain, until the faintest sound from without had died away I may have spent hours thus, while De Noyan slept on peacefully as a tired child At last a wild desire for action overca discretion There arose beforeface of her I loved I knew that to no other was she looking for aid in her despair There ht be little I could accoe even to exchange a brief ith sootten Besides, I longed, as no expression can ain, if only for an instant, into her clear gray eyes, to listen to the gentle murmur of her trustful voice In brief, I was in the mood for a desperate venture

I crept to the open door, peering cautiously forth into the darkness It was a heavy night, the little basin rapped in shadow, and not even a star peeped forth fro clouds In no direction could I distinguish any twinkling of lights except a single fitful flash frouarded the sacred fire or worshipped before the Puritan Encouraged by the darkness I crept along the outer wall, unchallenged by the skulking guard, and finally attained the upper corner Here I observed a second glireat house upon the summit of the mound--that house in which I understood dwelt Queen Naladi, and where De Noyan said his wife remained prisoner

I scarcely knohat I hoped to accomplish by such a move, yet helpful circumstances are apt to develop when one attempts boldly to do his own part the best he rass, drawing ever closer toward that beckoning light It was a long journey and a slow one, as the tribe would guard vigilantly the dwelling-place of their Queen At every rustle in the grass, every flap of wing overhead, I paused, listening to the pounding of my heart

I clasped closely in one hand the knife, my sole weapon of defence, and, as uish sos more clearly, I paused often, with uplifted head, to study so inch by inch, avoiding with care the least rustling of dry grass, I wriggled snake-like forward, until I began breasting the steeper incline of the hter space of overarching sky