Where was she wounded? Not in the head, thank God! Not in the throat, so white and delicate. The breast, perhaps, and with trembling fingers he tore aside the coat. She opened her eyes and looked dazedly up at him. "_Qu'y a-t-il?_" she murmured. Then her vision cleared. "What is the matter?" she asked in a stronger voice. "You've been hit," he panted. "Do you feel pain?" She closed her eyes for an instant. "No," she answered; "but my left leg is numb, as if----" "Pray heaven it is only in the leg! I must get you somewhere out of this." He raised his head to look around, and was suddenly conscious of the banging guns. "Damn these lunatics! Oh, damn them!" The ridges on either side were rimmed with fire. He cast a glance behind him and his heart stood still, for a troop of cavalry was deploying into the road. Forward, then, to the village, since that was the only way. He stooped to lift her. "I may hurt you a little," he said. "What are you going to do?" "I'm going to carry you to the village. Here, wave your handkerchief to show them that we are friends," and he drew it from her pocket and thrust it into her hand. "Now, your arm about my neck." She obeyed mutely; then, as he straightened up, she saw, over his shoulder, the cavalry forming for the charge. "No, no!" she cried. "Put me down. Here are the letters! See, I am placing them in your pocket! Now, put me down and save yourself!" He was picking his way forward over the barbed wire. He dared not lift his eyes from the road even for a glance at her. "Be still!" he commanded. "Don't struggle so! I will not put you down! Wave the handkerchief!" "There is cavalry down yonder," she protested, wildly. "It will charge in a moment!" "I know it! That's one reason I will not put you down!" He was past the wire; he could look at her for an instant--into her eyes, so close to his; deep into her eyes, dark with fear and pain. "Another reason is," he said, deliberately, "that I love you! I am telling you now because I want you to know, if this should be the end! I love you, love you, love you!" He was forced to look away from her, for there were fallen trees in front, but he felt the arm around his neck tighten. And then he bent his head and kissed her. "Like that!" he said, hoarsely. "Only a thousand times more than that--a million times more than that!" She pulled herself up until her cheek was pressed to his; and her eyes were like twin stars. "And I!" she whispered. "A million times more than that. Oh, my prince, my lover!" Stewart's veins ran fire. His fatigue dropped from him. He trod on air. He threw back his head proudly, for he felt himself invincible. He was contemptuous of fate--it could not harm him now! "And yet you wanted me to put you down!" he mocked. She snuggled against him, warm and womanly; she gave herself to him. "Oh, hold me close!" she seemed to say. "Hold me close, close! I am yours now!"