“Dearest,” he answered, kissing her tenderly, “as we are tied together, it seems that if you die I must die too. Do not break down now after you have borne so much.”
“It is the jewels,” she sobbed, “the jewels; I feel as though I had committed a murder.”
“Oh! bother the jewels!” said Leonard. “We can think about them afterwards.” And he advanced towards the flat stone, Juanna feeling the while as though they were two of Carrier’s victims about to know the Marriage of the Loire.
As they came to the stone Leonard heard a sound behind him, a sound of footsteps muffled by the snow, and glancing round he saw Soa rushing towards them, almost naked, a spear-wound in her side, and the light of madness shining in her eyes.
“Get back,” he said sternly, “or——” and he lifted the great spear.
“Oh! Shepherdess,” she wailed, “take me with you, Shepherdess, for I cannot live without you.”
“Tell her to go away,” said Juanna, recognising the voice; “I never want to see her any more.”
“You hear, Soa,” answered Leonard. “Stay, how has it gone yonder? Speak truly.”
“I know not, Deliverer; when I left, Olfan and his brother still held the mouth of the tunnel and were unhurt, but the captain was dead. I slipped past them and got this as I went,” and she pointed to the gash in her side.
“If he can hold out a little longer, help may reach him,” muttered Leonard. Then without more words, he laid himself and Juanna face downwards on the broad stone.