“Speak, luckless girl, speak!” he said. “What have you to tell?”
The girl strove to collect her thoughts, and in faltering words said that a Pelasgian had sprung out of the thicket and carried Byssa away.
Then, falling at Lyrcus’ feet, she clasped her hands over the knife he wore in his belt, shrieking:
“Don’t kill me. I did nothing....”
“Where were the men?” asked Lyrcus sternly.
She was silent.
“Where were the men?” Lyrcus repeated, in a tone which demanded an answer.
The girl clasped his knees imploringly.
“They had gone hunting,” she whispered almost inaudibly.
Several minutes passed ere Lyrcus opened his lips. The men wished the earth would swallow them; but their chief’s thoughts were already far from their negligence.