“Cruel--monstrous--devilish?” she said, repeating his words slowly. “Why not? All we want is the secrets of the gods--the secrets that concern us.” She was speaking quietly and patiently, because she had found she could only manage him by patience. “Why should we not kill if it will help us to read the future? Is not Death the portal to the Beyond, and if you would have its secrets you must enter by the only door open. We believe that when Death has just descended upon a human being his heart and lungs and inward parts unfold the future to us! And ’tis better if every passion be excited first!” Cormac shuddered. He felt he must leave Ethne; never look again upon her face--he would return to the Christians. And then the dreadful thought came that he himself had offered unto Baal--he was unclean! He wished to leave Ethne, yet she still attracted him and there was a new and horrible tie between them. Then weakly he began to excuse her to himself. If she believed, as she said, did it not make her crimes the less? Why should he think of fleeing from her presence--was he not worse than she? He, who called himself a Christian! She had dismounted and had thrown her bridle over her arm. Almost unconsciously they moved forward on the marshy bridle-path before them. “We have sinned,” said Cormac. “But my sin is greater than yours.” The Druidess looked at him with the same expression of scorn and wonder that she had shown before. After a time she said: “Some day--not now--I will tell you the message that the diviners unfolded to me.” Cormac only answered by a gesture of horror. “We have all our work to begin over again,” said Ethne. “You have lost your horse--and by your foolish flight you have scattered the warriors we had gathered about us! You are clad in sheepskin like a serf, or a Christian hermit!” Cormac stood still. “Ethne,” he cried, “I cannot go on--I cannot, and I will not, continue this unholy work!” “What a craven thing you are!” cried Ethne. She was glad to see a flush of anger on the boy’s face. “And what of your promises to me--the Christians are always boasting that they keep their promises--have I not done my part, were you forced into anything against your will?” “I do not blame you,” Cormac said proudly. “The fault was mine--but I will not continue.” “I do not know what you mean by repeating you will not continue--you will not continue. I promised to rally warriors around you, so that you might rescue Elgiva’s mother--and I will do it. I promise you, if you wish it, that you shall not be led into any more of our festivals--since you cannot resist the joy of them!” “Have no fear of my entering upon them again,” said Cormac. “I hoped to make a man of you!” exclaimed Ethne. “Then give me man’s work to do!” cried Cormac, fiercely, “and not the work of fiends and beasts. Give me warriors to lead into battle, and let me die at their head if need be!” “You shall have them!” cried Ethne, with sparkling eyes.