She partly lifted him inside her two arms. Baree's head sagged. His bodywas numbed until he was powerless to move. His legs were withoutfeeling. He could scarcely see. But he heard her voice! It occasionally was the samevoice that had come to him that day he had felt the sting of thebullet, the voice that had pleaded with him under the rock!

The voice of the Willow thrilled Baree. It seemed to stir the sluggishblood inside his veins, and he opened his eyes wider and saw again thewonderful stars that had glowed at him so softly the day of Wakayoo'sdeath. 0ne of the Willow's long braids fell over her shoulder, and hesmelled again the sweet scent of her hair as her hand caressed him andher voice talked to him. Then she got up suddenly and left him, and hedid not move while he waited for her. In a moment she was back with abasin of water and a cloth. Gently she washed the blood from his eyesand mouth. And still Baree made no move. He scarcely breathed. ButNepeese saw the little quivers that shot through his body when her handtouched him, like electric shocks.

"He beat you with a club," she was saying, her dark eyes within a legof Baree's. "He beat you! That man-beast!"

There came an interruption. The door opened, and the man-beast stoodlooking down on them, a grin on his white face. Instantly Baree showedthat he was alive. He sprang back from under the Willow's hand with asudden snarl and faced McTaggart. The hair of his spine stood up like abrush; his fangs gleamed menacingly, and his eyes burned like livingcoals.