If ever any soul had cast out fear it was that of Marjorie Kennedy, for unfathomed hate can do that as well as perfect love—and especially in a woman. But when my eyes fell on Dominie Mure, I got a yet greater start. The little, thickset man, who had been my brave companion through such a multitude of dangers, seemed to be transformed. A still and biting fury sat inexorably on his lips. He gripped his blade as if he would spring straight over the wall of rock upon the bestial crew. So afraid was I to look upon him and read his intent in his burning eyes, that I undid for a moment the clasp of Nell’s hand upon my shoulder and crawled to him. ’Have a care what you do, Dominie,’ I whispered in his ear. ’Remember, it is of the women we have to think.’ For as clearly as if I had read it in print, I saw his desire and his determination. He thought of young Mary Torrance, the lass that had been spirited away. And the red stain on the grass, and the ghastly garniture about the walls of the monster’s cave, had revealed to him the conclusion of the untold tale. But my words stopped him dead, like a bullet in the heart of a springing wild cat on the bough. He looked just once at me, and his eyes had the same wild glare. But there came that into them which told me of a thought greater than the stark revenge on which he had been all intent but a few moments before. I bent still nearer to his ear. ’Dominie,’ I said, ’if they come at us, mind that we are not to leave the lasses alive to fall into their bloody hands.’ He looked at me with a haggard face and shook his head. ’I cannot do it!’ he said, and set his hands over his eyes to hide the torches’ flare. When he looked up again I pointed to the loathed things that decked the walls in the eaves of the cave, and to the pickle barrels that stood in the corners. The Dominie understood and nodded. ’Surely you can if _I_ can,’ I whispered to him. ’I will take care of Nell—my love, if you—’ And I looked at Marjorie so that he understood fully. Then came my eyes back to Nell. They felt hot and dry. For I was taken with the reek in them, and my heart rose within me to think that in a swift tale of moments I might have to take away the sweet life from my own heart’s love. But when I went back to her, there was a new light of understanding in the face on which the flicker of the fire was reflected from the roof. I knew that she had seen and understood the import of my colloquy with the Dominie, and our looking from the one to the other of them. Yet the fear had strangely gone from her face. I declare she looked almost glad. She set her lips to my ear. ’Launce,’ she whispered, ’I want none but you to do it—if so be that it comes to that. You will, will you not, Launce?’