The thought of the hyenas had unsteadied them in spite of her courage. Hyenas meant Nadiram to Romney—and one white woman alone in the midst of a town full of Orientals—bands of desert men passing through—nothing but a Russian flag. He shivered. Anna Erivan arose to get supper. They ate in silence. The thought of to-morrow was like a gray mist between them again. They found themselves very tired; the power of Rajananda slipped farther and farther from them. Often they started to speak, but lost the impulse before the words came. Wampli was inexorable. If Romney failed now, he knew he would find himself less a man. "It’s no use. It’s got to be done," he said impatiently at last, "but they seem to be binding us closer to-night rather than making it easy—" "They?" she whispered. "Did I say _they_? I think I must have meant the Fates or something of the kind. It isn’t all wonder and exaltation—a meeting like this—and yet if I fail to-morrow, I am not what I thought. My work seemed here until you came to me—came running after me last night. Now that I have you, I know that I must go—but there’s something impassible in the thought. I can’t get over it. It’s like walking along the edge of a canyon—no wings, no bridge—" "You will go," she whispered. "To-morrow you will see the way. It will come with the morning sun. We are very tired to-night. We have been everything to-day. It’s like the little picture of a whole life. Why, think of it—last night you were unconscious from weakness.... You must go to your cot now—" "Leave so soon—the last night?" "We will arise early. We are helpless in the dark to-night. We can’t think. We are like two desolate beings, lost to each other.... I will call you early—" "My God, don’t go so soon!" Romney didn’t know his own voice, didn’t know the weakness that had come to him. Her face seemed to be receding in the lamp-light. "We are not sane!" she whispered. "Have you thought—that it is going to be too much for us? You must go.... Oh, what shall we do?" "Let us sit in silence together," he asked her.... "The last night—to go apart so soon—" "Do you not see that we must sleep to be sane? You must feel as I do. We are wearing—wearing. The day has been terrible. This morning, as you told me of that woman, I thought I should die. Even my Holy Man only healed me for a little while. I think it is a madness—a man and woman yearning like this. Words don’t help. I look at you—and feel far off. Your hand that I reach for only tells me that to-morrow you must go. It seems nothing will do but—oh, I don’t understand—I want to lose myself in your arms. It seems as if all nature were driving me to you—and that you were going away—"