A thoughtless act! From the wound the girl’s blood gushed. It spread like smoke in air; the water all around us was pink.
Atar had his arms about the girl. Then he got to his feet; and with a command to the crowd to disperse, he swam away to fetch the man of medicine.
The King and I knelt by the girl. Atar would be too late; she was dying.
“Child,” said the King gently, “soon you will be healed and strong again. And never shall I forget what you did for me today.” But she shook her head weakly; her lips, twisted with pain, were trying to smile at him. Her words were low, halting; the King and I bent lower to hear them.
“Loyal—subjects! I was loyal. Didn’t—mean to start—any trouble. You—forgive me?”
“Yes,” said the King. “Don’t talk now, child.”
“Loyal,” she repeated. “Everyone should be—loyal to his King. I’m—glad I could show— To die for—”
The blood gushing from her mouth stopped the words; but her eyes were still smiling—smiling as they glazed and the light faded from them.
CHAPTER XXV
“Nona,” I said, “do you wish to go to this merry-making? . . . Caan, should I take her?”