“I thought I saw a slinking figure outside. I couldn’t believe it was you. I felt ashamed to come down here to make sure. I believed I was insulting you by coming. Now I find you’ve broken your promise.” It was on the tip of Sevier’s tongue to deny the accusation hotly, but that would arouse the emperor’s suspicions as to the truth. “A man may walk about the village without breaking his promise not to leave the village,” he sullenly replied. “Where the devil are you?” “Walking in the village!” bitterly derided McGillivray. “You started to escape and became frightened at the dogs.” Sevier said nothing. McGillivray repeated under his breath: “Frightened at the dogs? Hah! You’ve been trying to find Polcher.” Still Sevier made no answer. McGillivray opened a door and secured the lighted candle he had left outside. Holding it high, he strode up to the borderer and scanned him closely. “Your eyes gleam as if you had succeeded in something. Did you find Polcher?” Sevier smiled, refusing to speak. McGillivray made to set the candle on the table, and his keen gaze at once noticed the absence of the four knives. He leaped to the wall and a glance told him they had been hastily wrenched from their fastenings. His right hand plucked a pistol from inside his coat. Levelling it he demanded— “Where are those knives?” “Ask Polcher,” defied Sevier. “If you have harmed Polcher I will kill you,” promised the emperor. Still keeping an eye on his “guest,” he stepped to the window and sounded his whistle. Up raced the pack in answer to the familiar call, with the two keepers trotting behind them. Scrambling and crowding, the brutes leaped up until their red eyes glared into the room. Without shifting his gaze from Sevier, McGillivray extended a hand and fondled whatever head came within reach. To the keepers he said: “One of you stay with the dogs. The other run to Polcher’s cabin and see if any harm has come to him.” The order was promptly obeyed and Sevier’s spirits rose as he observed the man was making off in the direction of the slave-quarters. “You still refuse to talk?” demanded McGillivray. “I prefer to wait,” was the calm reply. The dogs continued leaping up at the window; their master kept up his blind caresses. The one guard stared stupidly at the tableau of the two men, one with arms folded and counting the precious minutes, the other with a pistol ready in his hand and frowning heavily. At last there came a patter of feet, and McGillivray straightened and brought the pistol to bear on Sevier’s deep chest. “If the verdict is against you I have decided to shoot you here,” he grimly informed. “I reckon I wouldn’t deserve it. I never promised not to harm Polcher. I’ve told you several times I fully intend to hang him.” “Good heavens! You couldn’t have hung him—alone!” cried the emperor.