The girl started into wakefulness, and would have shrieked, but the hand across her lips stayed her. She would have seized the kris with which she was armed, but her wrist was pinioned. She gazed with fierce and angry eyes straight into her captor's face, and thus for some moments they remained till he raised his hand. "Well," she said, "you have taken me." "Yes; at last," he replied, in the same low voice as that in which the captured girl had spoken. Involuntarily the Malay girl's eyes turned towards her companion, but she closed them directly, believing that Helen had not been seen. "Yes, she is there," he said, in a low whisper. "I saw her before I saw you." "And now you are going to drag us back to Murad?" said the girl, adopting his tone. "How proud Hamet must feel now that he has become a slave-catcher!" "I did not say I was going to take you back to Murad," he said, laughing. "Do you wish me to take you back to have the kris?" The girl shuddered, for she knew that this would be her fate; but with true Eastern spirit she recovered herself. "What matter?" she said, indifferently. "I do not mind." "You do mind," he said; "and you want to live." "Yes: then let me go," she replied. "No; I was sent to take you, and I have found you." "But you do not mean to take me back to Murad?" she cried, angrily. He laughed again. "It is for you to decide," he continued, in a low voice. "I, Hamet, have loved you long now--ever since Murad grew tired of you and cast you off. You know it." "Yes," she said, sullenly, "I know it. You have told me before; and if I had told the Sultan he would have had you slain." "Both of us," said the tall Malay, coolly. "But now we are away from him and free. Will you listen to me?" "I must," she said, scornfully. "I cannot help it." "Yes; you could help it," he said; "but you will not. I am obliged to take this opportunity, and I do, for I could not bear to see you hurt." "And yet you came to seek me?" "Yes, and to save you. Two boats have been searching for you this afternoon, but only my eyes saw you. Had it been any others, you would have been in Murad's power by now." "Did you come and see us sleeping?" she said, eagerly. "Yes. How else could I have known that you were here waiting to be caught?" "And now that you have caught me," she said, indifferently, "what does Hamet mean to do?" "Is it Hamet, Murad's officer--or Hamet your friend?" "How can I tell?" she said, indifferently. "You are a catcher of slaves, and you have taken two. Are you happy?" "No," he said, earnestly. "Make me happy." "How? Tell me what are your plans?" "To save you if I can; but either you become my wife, or you go back to Murad. My orders are to take you." The girl remained perfectly silent for a few minutes, during which the tall Malay watched her intently. "If I say I will be your wife, and go with you now back to your place, will you let her go free--where she will?" said the girl.