In the hour of death he must help her to be true to herself, so that no craven fear should sully her proud soul, and with this high resolve he turned to her with the little word of endearment on his lips, and laid his hand on her arm with a touch of real affection.
"I will do what I have promised when the moment comes." He felt a little shiver run over her body and his hand tightened on her arm. "Dear, it will soon be over. Really you need not be afraid."
"Tell me"--she turned to him, and the look in her eyes thrilled him through and through--"does it hurt--death when it comes like--that?"
"No." He spoke firmly. "You must not think of that. It is all over in a second--and you know"--he hesitated--"after all, this life is not everything."
"No." A new light touched her eyes for a moment, a light brighter than that of the rising sun. "There is a life beyond, isn't there? My mother died three years ago, and I have missed her sorely," said Hilda Ryder simply. "Surely she will greet me--there. But"--for a moment a great human yearning shook her soul--"it's hard to leave this dear life behind ... the world is so wonderful, so lovely--I'm sure no other world can ever be half so beautiful as this."
A sudden clamour in the courtyard outside drove the colour from her cheeks, and instinctively she clung to him.
"Dr. Anstice, they're coming, aren't they? Is this--really--the end?"
For a second he listened, the blood running icily in his veins. Then he turned to her with a smile on his lips.
"Yes. I think they are coming--now. But"--his voice changed--"after all, there might be a chance--for you!"
Instead of reassuring her his words drove her to a white-lipped terror.
"You're not going to fail me now? Dr. Anstice, for the love of God, do as you promised--I will be brave, I will indeed--only don't let them take me--oh, don't!"
"It's all right, dear." He slipped his arm round her and drew her closely to him. "I won't fail you. I thought for a moment there might be a chance, but after all this is the better way."
"I knew you could be brave--for me," she said, very softly; and then, as a native voice outside the hut called an order, he felt her tremble in his arms. "They are coming--Dr. Anstice, let us say good-bye--or"--she actually smiled--"shall it be au revoir?"