Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/301

Rh too great and more shots spat about the runner, and suddenly, throwing up his hands, Monapikot whirled in his flight, staggered  and fell flat and limp. David’s heart turned to stone within him, and then he thrust  aside one who stood in his path and sprang  toward the door.

But his father was before him.

“What would you do?” he cried.

“Bring him in, father! He may not be dead!”

“Nay, lad, you would but meet the same fate.”

“I care not! He is my friend, and if it be that he is but sorely wounded—”

There was a shout from the watchers. “He is up again! He comes! ’Twas but a trick he played! The door! The door!”

Swiftly it was unbarred and thrown wide. David, forgetting danger, dashed through it. Toward him, swiftly, came the Pegan. An arrow struck the ground well short and  slithered across the turf. Then David was half pushing, half carrying Monapikot  through the doorway, and then the portal  crashed shut and the great bar fell back into  place. The Pegan would have collapsed had not hands helped him to a bench whereon,