Craig,
with a wonderful spring, reached his side and kicked the revolver away.
Before Quest could even stoop to recover it, he saw the glitter of the
other's knife pressed against his chest.
"Listen," Craig declared. "I've made up my mind. I won't go back to
America. I've had enough of being hunted all over the world. This time I
think I'll rid myself of one of you, at any rate."
"Will you?"
The interruption was so unexpected that Craig lost his nerve. Through an
opening in the trees, only a few feet away, Lenora had suddenly appeared.
She, too, held a revolver; her hand was as steady as a rock.
"Drop your knife," she ordered Craig.
He obeyed without hesitation.
"Now tie the sash around the girl."
He obeyed mechanically. Feerda, who had been fiercely resisting Quest's
efforts to hold her, yielded without a struggle as soon as Craig touched
her. She looked at him, however, with bitter reproach.
"You would tie me here?" she murmured. "You would leave me?"
[Illustration: FEERDA, THE CHIEF'S DAUGHTER, LISTENS ENRAPTURED TO CRAIG'S
TALES OF FARAWAY AMERICA.]
[Illustration: CRAIG FRANTICALLY ASSISTED IN DRAGGING PEOPLE FROM THE
BURNING CAR.]
"It is Fate," Craig muttered. "I am worn out with trying to escape,
Feerda. They will come soon and release you."
She opened her lips to shriek, but Quest, who had made a gag of her linen
head-dress, thrust it suddenly into her mouth. He took Craig by the collar
and led him to the spot where the others were waiting.
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