the chest and while we were thus for the moment from action lifting his arms above his head like one about to he ran straight forward out of the here am i he kill me and spare the others his sudden appearance i suppose our hidden enemies for and i had time to recover to seize between us one by each arm and to rush forth to his assistance ere anything further had taken place but scarce had we passed the threshold when there came near a dozen reports and flashes from every direction among the hollows of the links mr staggered uttered a weird and cry threw up his arms over his head and fell backward on the turf cried the invisible and just then a part of the roof of the fell in so rapid was the progress of the fire a loud vague and horrible noise accompanied the and a vast volume of flame went soaring up to heaven it must have been visible at that moment from twenty miles out at sea from the shore at and far inland from the peak of the most eastern summit of the hills although god knows what were his had a fine at the moment of his death chapter ix tells how carried out his threat i should have the greatest difficulty to tell you what followed next after this tragic circumstance it is all to me as i look back upon it mixed and ineffectual like the struggles of a in a nightmare i remember uttered a broken sigh and would have fallen forward to earth had not and i supported her insensible body i do not think we were attacked i do not remember even to have seen an and i believe we deserted mr without a glance i only remember running like a man in a panic now carrying altogether in my own arms now sharing her weight with now for the possession of that dear burden why we should have made for my camp in the den or how we reached it are points lost for ever to my recollection the first moment at which i became definitely sure had been suffered to fall against the outside of my little tent and i were tumbling together on the ground and he with contained ferocity was striking for my head with the butt of his revolver he had already twice wounded me on the and it is to the consequent loss of blood that i am tempted to attribute the sudden clearness of my mind i caught him by the wrist i remember saying you can kill me afterwards let us first attend to he was at that moment uppermost scarcely had the words passed my lips when he had leaped to his feet and ran towards the tent and the next moment ne w nights he was straining to his heart and covering hei unconscious hands and face with his caresses shame i cried shame to you and giddy though i still was i struck him repeatedly upon the head and shoulders he his grasp and faced me in the broken moonlight i had you under and let you go said he and now you strike me coward � you are the coward i retorted did she wish your kisses while she was still sensible of what she wanted not she and now she may be dying and you waste this precious time and abuse her stand aside and let me help her he confronted me for a moment white and menacing then suddenly he stepped aside help her then said he i threw myself on my knees beside her and loosened as well as i was able her dress and but while i was thus engaged a grasp descended on my shoulder keep your hands off her said fiercely do you think i have no blood in my i cried if you will neither help her yourself nor let me do so do you know that i shall have to kill you that is better he cried let her die also where s the harm step aside from that girl and stand up to fight you will observe said i half rising that i have not kissed her yet i dare you to he cried i do not know what possessed me it was one of the things i am most ashamed of in my life though as my wife used to say i knew that my kisses would be always welcome were she dead or living down i fell again upon my knees parted the hair from her forehead and with the dearest respect laid my lips for a the on the links moment on that cold brow it was such a as a father might have given it was such a one as was not from a man soon to die to a woman already dead and now said i i am at your service mr north but i saw to my surprise that hfe had turned his back upon me do you hear i asked yes said he i do if you wish to fight i am ready if not go on and save all is one to me i did not wait to be twice but stooping again over continued my efforts to revive her she still lay white and lifeless i began to fear that her sweet spirit had indeed fled beyond recall and horror and a sense of utter desolation seized upon my heart i called her by name with the most i and beat her hands now i laid her head low now supported it against my knee but all seemed to be in vain and the still lay heavy on her eyes i said there is my hat for god s sake bring some water from the spring almost in a moment he was by my side with the water i have brought it in my 