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Outside；　the　Arabs　were　searching　for　the　author　of

the　disturbing　shot。　　The　two　sentries　who　had　been

relieved　and　sent　to　their　blankets　by　Mohammed　Beyd

were　the　first　to　suggest　going　to　the　tent　of　the

prisoner。　　It　occurred　to　them　that　possibly　the　woman

had　successfully　defended　herself　against　their　leader。



Werper　heard　the　men　approaching。　　To　be　apprehended　as

the　slayer　of　Mohammed　Beyd　would　be　equivalent　to　a

sentence　of　immediate　death。　　The　fierce　and　brutal

raiders　would　tear　to　pieces　a　Christian　who　had　dared

spill　the　blood　of　their　leader。　　He　must　find　some

excuse　to　delay　the　finding　of　Mohammed　Beyd's　dead

body。



Returning　his　revolver　to　its　holster；　he　walked

quickly　to　the　entrance　of　the　tent。　　Parting　the　flaps

he　stepped　out　and　confronted　the　men；　who　were　rapidly

approaching。　　Somehow　he　found　within　him　the　necessary

bravado　to　force　a　smile　to　his　lips；　as　he　held　up　his

hand　to　bar　their　farther　progress。



〃The　woman　resisted；〃　he　said；　〃and　Mohammed　Beyd　was

forced　to　shoot　her。　　She　is　not　deadonly　slightly

wounded。　　You　may　go　back　to　your　blankets。　　Mohammed

Beyd　and　I　will　look　after　the　prisoner；〃　then　he

turned　and　re…entered　the　tent；　and　the　raiders；

satisfied　by　this　explanation；　gladly　returned　to　their

broken　slumbers。



As　he　again　faced　Jane　Clayton；　Werper　found　himself

animated　by　quite　different　intentions　than　those　which

had　lured　him　from　his　blankets　but　a　few　minutes

before。　　The　excitement　of　his　encounter　with　Mohammed

Beyd；　as　well　as　the　dangers　which　he　now　faced　at　the

hands　of　the　raiders　when　morning　must　inevitably

reveal　the　truth　of　what　had　occurred　in　the　tent　of

the　prisoner　that　night；　had　naturally　cooled　the　hot

passion　which　had　dominated　him　when　he　entered　the

tent。



But　another　and　stronger　force　was　exerting　itself　in

the　girl's　favor。　　However　low　a　man　may　sink；　honor

and　chivalry；　has　he　ever　possessed　them；　are　never

entirely　eradicated　from　his　character；　and　though

Albert　Werper　had　long　since　ceased　to　evidence　the

slightest　claim　to　either　the　one　or　the　other；　the

spontaneous　acknowledgment　of　them　which　the　girl's

speech　had　presumed　had　reawakened　them　both　within

him。



For　the　first　time　he　realized　the　almost　hopeless　and

frightful　position　of　the　fair　captive；　and　the　depths

of　ignominy　to　which　he　had　sunk；　that　had　made　it

possible　for　him；　a　well…born；　European　gentleman；　to

have　entertained　even　for　a　moment　the　part　that　he　had

taken　in　the　ruin　of　her　home；　happiness；　and　herself。



Too　much　of　baseness　already　lay　at　the　threshold　of

his　conscience　for　him　ever　to　hope　entirely　to　redeem

himself；　but　in　the　first；　sudden　burst　of　contrition

the　man　conceived　an　honest　intention　to　undo；　in　so

far　as　lay　within　his　power；　the　evil　that　his　criminal

avarice　had　brought　upon　this　sweet　and　unoffending

woman。



As　he　stood　apparently　listening　to　the　retreating

footstepsJane　Clayton　approached　him。



〃What　are　we　to　do　now？〃　she　asked。　　〃Morning　will

bring　discovery　of　this；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　still

body　of　Mohammed　Beyd。　　〃They　will　kill　you　when　they

find　him。〃



For　a　time　Werper　did　not　reply；　then　he　turned

suddenly　toward　the　woman。



〃I　have　a　plan；〃　he　cried。　　〃It　will　require　nerve　and

courage　on　your　part；　but　you　have　already　shown　that

you　possess　both。　　Can　you　endure　still　more？〃



〃I　can　endure　anything；〃　she　replied　with　a　brave

smile；　〃that　may　offer　us　even　a　slight　chance　for

escape。〃



〃You　must　simulate　death；〃　he　explained；　〃while　I　carry

you　from　the　camp。　　I　will　explain　to　the　sentries　that

Mohammed　Beyd　has　ordered　me　to　take　your　body　into　the

jungle。　　This　seemingly　unnecessary　act　I　shall　explain

upon　the　grounds　that　Mohammed　Beyd　had　conceived　a

violent　passion　for　you　and　that　he　so　regretted　the

act　by　which　he　had　become　your　slayer　that　he　could

not　endure　the　silent　reproach　of　your　lifeless　body。〃



The　girl　held　up　her　hand　to　stop。　　A　smile　touched　her

lips。



〃Are　you　quite　mad？〃　she　asked。　　〃Do　you　imagine　that

the　sentries　will　credit　any　such　ridiculous　tale？〃



〃You　do　not　know　them；〃　he　replied。　　〃Beneath　their

rough　exteriors；　despite　their　calloused　and　criminal

natures；　there　exists　in　each　a　well…defined　strain　of

romantic　emotionalismyou　will　find　it　among　such　as

these　throughout　the　world。　　It　is　romance　which　lures

men　to　lead　wild　lives　of　outlawry　and　crime。　　The　ruse

will　succeednever　fear。〃



Jane　Clayton　shrugged。　　〃We　can　but　try　itand　then

what？〃



〃I　shall　hide　you　in　the　jungle；〃　continued　the

Belgian；　〃coming　for　you　alone　and　with　two　horses　in

the　morning。〃



〃But　how　will　you　explain　Mohammed　Beyd's　death？〃　she

asked。　　〃It　will　be　discovered　before　ever　you　can

escape　the　camp　in　the　morning。〃



〃I　shall　not　explain　it；〃　replied　Werper。　　〃Mohammed

Beyd　shall　explain　it　himselfwe　must　leave　that　to

him。　　Are　you　ready　for　the　venture？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃But　wait；　I　must　get　you　a　weapon　and　ammunition；〃

and　Werper　walked　quickly　from　the　tent。



Very　shortly　he　returned　with　an　extra　revolver　and

ammunition　belt　strapped　about　his　waist。



〃Are　you　ready？〃　he　asked。



〃Quite　ready；〃　replied　the　girl。



〃Then　come　and　throw　yourself　limply　across　my　left

shoulder；〃　and　Werper　knelt　to　receive　her。



〃There；〃　he　said；　as　he　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Now；　let

your　arms；　your　legs　and　your　head　hang　limply。

Remember　that　you　are　dead。〃



A　moment　later　the　man　walked　out　into　the　camp；　the

body　of　the　woman　across　his　shoulder。



A　thorn　boma　had　been　thrown　up　about　the　camp；　to

discourage　the　bolder　of　the　hungry　carnivora。　　A

couple　of　sentries　paced　to　and　fro　in　the　light　of　a

fire　which　they　kept　burning　brightly。　　The　nearer　of

these　looked　up　in　surprise　as　he　saw　Werper　approaching。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　cried。　　〃What　have　you　there？〃



Werper　raised　the　hood　of　his　burnoose　that　the　fellow

might　see　his　face。



〃This　is　the　body　of　the　woman；〃　he　explained。

〃Mohammed　Beyd　has　asked　me　to　take　it　into　the　jungle；

for　he　cannot　bear　to　look　upon　the　face　of　her　whom　he

loved；　and　whom　necessity　compelled　him　to　slay。　　He

suffers　greatlyhe　is　inconsolable。　　It　was　with

difficulty　that　I　prevented　him　taking　his　own　life。〃



Across　the　speaker's　shoulder；　limp　and　frightened；　the

girl　waited　for　the　Arab's　reply。　　He　would　laugh　at

this　preposterous　story；　of　that　she　was　sure。　　In　an

instant　he　would　unmask　the　deception　that　M。　Frecoult

was　attempting　to　practice　upon　him；　and　they　would

both　be　lost。　　She　tried　to　plan　how　best　she　might　aid

her　would…be　rescuer　in　the　fight　which　must　most

certainly　follow　within　a　moment　or　two。



Then　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　Arab　as　he　replied　to

M。　Frecoult。



〃Are　you　going　alone；　or　do　you　wish　me　to　awaken

someone　to　accompany　you？〃　he　asked；　and　his　tone

denoted　not　the　least　surprise　that　Mohammed　Beyd　had

suddenly　discovered　such　remarkably　sensitive

characteristics。



〃I　shall　go　alone；〃　replied　Werper；　and　he　passed　on

and　out　through　the　narrow　opening　in　the　boma；　by

which　the　sentry　stood。



A　moment　later　he　had　entered　among　the　boles　of　the

trees　with　his　burden；　and　when　safely　hidden　from　the

sentry's　view　lowered　the　girl　to　her　feet；　with　a　low；

〃sh…sh；〃　when　she　would　have　spoken。



Then　he　led　her　a　little　farther　into　the　forest；

halted　beneath　a　large　tree　with　spreading　branches；

buckled　a　cartridge　belt　and　revolver　about　her　waist；

and　assisted　her　to　clamber　into　the　lower　branches。



〃Tomorrow；〃　he　whispered；　〃as　soon　as　I　can　elude　them；

I　will　return　for　you。　　Be　brave；　Lady　Greystokewe

may　yet　escape。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　she　replied　in　a　low　tone。　　〃You　have　been

very　kind；　and　very　brave。〃



Werper　did　not　reply；　and　the　darkness　of　the　night　hid

the　scarlet　flush　of　shame　which　swept　upward　across

his　face。　　Quickly　he　turned　and　made　his　way　back　to

camp。　　The　sentry；　from　his　post；　saw　him　enter　his　own

tent；　but　he　did　not　see　him　crawl　under　the　canvas　at

the　rear　and　sneak　cautiously　to　the　tent　which　the

prisoner　had　occupied；　where　now　lay　the　dead　body　of

Mohammed　Beyd。



Raising　the　lower　edge　of　the　rear　wall；　Werper　crept

within　and　approached　the　corpse。　　Without　an　instant's

hesitation　he　seized　the　dead　wrists　and　dragged　the

body　upon　its　back　to　the　point　where　he　had　just

entered。　　On　hands　and　knees　he　backed　out　as　he　had

come　in；　drawing　the　corpse　after　him。　　Once　outside

the　Belgian　crept　to　the　side　of　the　tent　and　surveyed

as　much　of　the　camp　as　lay　within　his　visionno　one

was　watching。



Returning　to　the　body；　he　lifted　it　to　his　shoulder；

and　risking　all　on　a　quick　sally；　ran　swiftly　across

the　narrow　opening　which　separated　the　prisoner's　tent

from　that　of　the