"Ka sakahet!" he cried passionately. "Pierrot exclaimed you would have ananswer for me. But I need no answer now. You are mine! Mine!"

She gave a cry. It really was a gasping, broken cry. His arms were about herlike bands of iron, crushing her slender body, shutting off her breath,turning the world almost purple before her eyes. She could neitherstruggle nor cry out. She felt the hot passion of his lips on her face,heard his voice--and then came a moment's freedom, and air into herstrangled lungs. Pierrot was calling! He had come to the fork in thetrail, and he was calling the Willow's name!

McTaggart's hot hand came over her mouth.

"Don't answer," she heard him say.