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Rh ruffians who had come suddenly round a shoulder of rock. Weak with suffering and fatigue, he was overborne in a twinkling, and his hands were made fast behind his back. Rose's resistance was as futile as his own; she, too, was captive, and her hands were bound like his.

Suddenly the sound of a strange laugh chilled the blood in Barcus, and he swung sharply to confront Judith Trine.

He was by no means poor-spirited, but he shrank from the look she gave him, and was relieved when with a sneer she passed him by and planted herself before her sister.

"Well?" she demanded brusquely. "How many more lessons will you need to make you realize I mean to have my way, and that you'll cross me only to suffer for it?" Rose's courage won the admiration of Barcus. Far from cringing, she seemed to find fresh heart in her sister's challenge.

"So you've tried again?" she inquired. "You've offered him your love yet another time, have you?"

"Silence!" Judith cried in fury.

"Only to learn once more that he would rather death [sic] than you?" Rose persisted, unflinching. "And so you come to take your spite out on me, do you? You pitiful thing!"