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when she was struggling in the water after the wreck of the Halfmoon: "but, by

George, I intend to go down fighting." Well, she could do no less.

She could hear the movement of several persons in the next room now. The voices

of women and children came to her distinctly. Many of the words were Japanese,

but others were of a tongue with which she was not familiar.

Presently her own chamber began to lighten. She looked over her shoulder and

saw the first faint rays of dawn showing through a small aperture near the roof

and at the opposite end of the room. She rose and moved quickly toward it. By

standing on tiptoe and pulling herself up a trifle with her hands upon the sill she

was able to raise her eyes above the bottom of the window frame.

Beyond she saw the forest, not a hundred yards away; but when she attempted to

crawl through the opening she discovered to her chagrin that it was too small to

permit the passage of her body. And then there came a knocking on the door she

had just quitted, and a woman's voice calling her lord and master to his morning

meal.

Barbara ran quickly across the chamber to the door, the long sword raised above

her head in both hands. Again the woman knocked, this time much louder, and

raised her voice as she called again upon Oda Yorimoto to come out.

The girl within was panic-stricken. What should she do? With but a little respite

she might enlarge the window sufficiently to permit her to escape into the forest,

but the woman at the door evidently would not be denied. Suddenly an

inspiration came to her. It was a forlorn hope, but well worth putting to the test.

Hush!" she hissed through the closed door. "Oda Yorimoto sleeps. It is his wish

that he be not disturbed."

For a moment there was silence beyond the door, and then the woman grunted,

and Barbara heard her turn back, muttering to herself. The girl breathed a deep

sigh of relief--she had received a brief reprieve from death.

Again she turned to the window, where, with the short sword, she commenced

her labor of enlarging it to permit the passage of her body. The work was

necessarily slow because of the fact that it must proceed with utter noiselessness.

For an hour she worked, and then again came an interruption at the door. This

time it was a man.

Oda Yorimoto still sleeps," whispered the girl. "Go away and do not disturb him.

He will be very angry if you awaken him."

The Mucker