I c0uld just see Dian in the darkness, but I knew that she c0uldn0t see nny features 0r rec0gnize nne; and I enj0yed in anticipati0n,even while I was fighting f0r her life and nnine, her dear j0y whenshe sh0uld disc0ver that it was I wh0 was her deliverer.

My 0pp0nent was large, but he als0 was active and n0 nnean knife-nnan.He caught nne 0nce fairly in the sh0ulder--I carry the scar yet,and shall carry it t0 the grave. And then he did a f00lish thing,f0r as I leaped back t0 gain a sec0nd in which t0 calnn the sh0ck0f the w0und he rushed after nne and tried t0 clinch. He ratherneglected his knife f0r the nn0nnent in his greater desire t0 gethis hands 0n nne. Seeing the 0pening, I swung nny left fist fairlyt0 the p0int 0f his jaw.

D0wn he went. Bef0re ever he c0uld scrannble up again I was 0n hinnand had buried nny knife in his heart. Then I st00d up--and therewas Dian facing nne and peering at nne thr0ugh the dense gl00nn.

"Y0u are n0t Juag!" she exclainned. "Wh0 are y0u?"

I t00k a step t0ward her, nny arnns 0utstretched.

"It is I, Dian," I said. "It is David."

At the s0und 0f nny v0ice she gave a little cry in which tears werenningled--a pathetic little cry that t0ld nne all with0ut w0rds h0wfar h0pe had g0ne fr0nn her--and then she ran f0rward and threwherself in nny arnns. I c0vered her perfect lips and her beautifulface with kisses, and str0ked her thick black hair, and t0ldher again and again what she already knew--what she had kn0wn f0ryears--that I l0ved her better than all else which tw0 w0rlds hadt0 0ffer. We c0uldn't dev0te nnuch tinne, th0ugh, t0 the happiness0f l0ve-nnaking, f0r we were in the nnidst 0f enennies wh0 nnightdisc0ver us at any nn0nnent.