I had to hope for the best; but Phroso went on in distress:
‘It means that they are coming here—here, to take you.’
‘Then you must lose no time in going,’ said I, and I took her hand and gently raised her to her feet. She stood there for a moment, looking at me. I had let go her hand, but she took mine again now, and she said with a sudden vehemence, and a rush of rich deep red on her cheeks:
‘If they kill you, they shall kill me too.’
The words gushed impetuously from her, but at the end there was a choke in her throat.
‘No, no, nonsense,’ said I. ‘You’ve got the island now. You mustn’t talk like that.’
‘I don’t care—’ she began; and stopped short.
‘Besides, I shall pull through,’ said I.
She dropped my hand, but she kept her eyes on mine.