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his advantage by charging menacingly upon them. They stood for a moment, then

wavered, turned and fled from the hut.

When Theriere turned back toward Barbara Harding he found her kneeling beside

the mucker.

Is he dead?" asked the Frenchman.

No. Can we lift him together and get him through that window?"

It is the only way," replied Theriere, "and we must try it."

They seized upon the huge body and dragged it to the far end of the room, but

despite their best efforts the two were not able to lift the great, inert mass of flesh

and bone and muscle and pass it through the tiny opening.

"What shall we do?" cried Theriere.

We must stay here with him," replied Barbara Harding. "I could never desert the

man who has fought so noble a fight for me while a breath of life remained in

him."

Theriere groaned.

Nor I," he said; "but you--he has given his life to save yours. Should you render

his sacrifice of no avail now?"

I cannot go alone," she answered simply, "and I know that you will not leave him.

There is no other way--we must stay."

At this juncture the mucker opened his eyes.

Who hit me?" he murmured. "Jes' show me de big stiff." Theriere could not

repress a smile. Barbara Harding again knelt beside the man.

"No one hit you, Mr. Byrne," she said. "You were struck by a spear and are badly

wounded."

Billy Byrne opened his eyes a little wider, turning them until they rested on the

beautiful face of the girl so close to his.

"MR. Byrne!" he ejaculated in disgust. "Forget it. Wot do youse tink I am, one of

dose paper-collar dudes?"

Then he sat up. Blood was flowing from a wound in his chest, saturating his

shirt, and running slowly to the earth floor. There were two flesh wounds upon

his head--one above the right eye and the other extending entirely across the left

The Mucker