Page:The Country-House Party.djvu/41

Rh through the dull years that were. Was she to deliver him up? All that young strength, that wonderful manhood to close those loving eyes and bring death to that pulsing body so full of force and energy!

She turned again over the waters, and laid upon them a lighted match. In a little time a slow flame crept up and spread. The fire drifted down with the current, coming fast upon the canoes that followed. The men, seeing their danger, turned their frail crafts and tried to get away. The great flame, still spreading, came down upon them like a river of fire. It roared like some great fire god, and flung wide arms from bank to bank. It licked the fences even a hundred feet from the water, and the ground was burnt bare along each shore.

As the woman leaned from the boat the flame raised itself between her and their pursuers. She could no longer see them; she did not know if the fearful thing had yet leaped upon them. Suddenly out of the flames came wild cries, and she began to tremble at her deed.

'Murder! Murder!' This was the cry that came to her loudest of all, and she could not say