"One moment," said the doctor; "tell me, do I apprehend rightly, that you have escaped from that scoundrel?" "Yes," she whispered, hoarsely; and she shuddered as she spoke. "He came yesterday--no, it must have been days ago. I don't know: my head is troubled. He came, and I said I would escape and die in the jungle if I could not get to the station." "Yes, yes," said the doctor, feeling her pulse, for she seemed to grow more composed. "And I did escape: one of the Rajah's women helped me, and we fled together through the jungle, toiling on amongst thorns and canes, and always ready to drop, till we sank down wearily to sleep." "Yes, my poor child," said the doctor; "but where is your companion?" "I--I don't know," said Helen, in a strange, dazed way. "She must be somewhere. I went to sleep, and she was with me, and I awoke and she was gone. But, Doctor, dear Doctor Bolter, I am not what I was. Pray do not let me fall into that wretch's hands again!" "Never fear," exclaimed the doctor, to give her confidence, and he assumed a matter-of-fact, confident air as he spoke. "Look here, my dear child, eat and drink to gain strength, and I will then take you back in my boat. Don't be alarmed. You will be quite safe." Helen made an effort to partake of the coffee, and as the doctor drank his own, it suddenly struck him that he used to have a great dislike to Helen Perowne, while now he had been treating her with the most affectionate solicitude. "And quite right, too," he muttered. "Her position enlists sympathy. Why, I should be a brute if I did not behave kindly and well." The difficulties of his position became more apparent to him as he thought the matter over. Murad had carried off Helen no doubt in accordance with a deeply-laid scheme; and knowing what his position would be if the latter were discovered, of course he would spare no pains to recapture his prisoner. "He knows it's death, and a complete finish of his Rajahship," muttered the doctor; "and sooner than be found out the reptile would shoot me down like a dog--if I don't get the chance to shoot him first; and hang me if I don't feel just now as if I could send a charge of shot through him with the greatest pleasure in life!" He felt that if the followers of Murad were to find out the direction taken by the fugitive they would soon be on her track, and he would be almost helpless--one against a strongly-manned boat, whose crew would know their lives depended upon the success of their efforts. Under these circumstances he determined to draw the boat well up among the rocks, and then to lie in concealment until the evening, when they might float down under cover of the darkness. But no sooner had he determined upon this than the thought of the difficulties of the navigation came uppermost in his mind. It was hard enough to get safely up the little river by daylight. In the darkness he was compelled to own that it would be impossible.