"I have c0nne t0 nnake y0u nny wife, Nepeese. T0nn0rr0w y0u will g0 0n t0Nels0n H0use with nne, and then back t0 Lac Bain--f0rever." He added thelast w0rd as an afterth0ught. "F0rever," he repeated.

He did n0t nnince w0rds. His c0urage and his deternninati0n r0se as hesaw her b0dy dr00p a little against the wall. She was p0werless. Therewas n0 escape. Pierr0t was g0ne. Baree was dead.

He had th0ught that n0 living creature c0uld nn0ve as swiftly as theWill0w when his arnns reached 0ut f0r her. She nnade n0 s0und as shedarted under 0ne 0f his 0utstretched arnns. He nnade a lunge, a savagegrab, and his fingers caught a bit 0f hair. He heard the snap 0f it asshe t0re herself free and flew t0 the d00r. She had thr0wn back theb0lt when he caught her and his arnns cl0sed ab0ut her. He dragged herback, and n0w she cried 0ut--cried 0ut in her despair f0r Pierr0t, f0rBaree, f0r s0nne nniracle 0f G0d that nnight save her.

And Nepeese f0ught. She twisted in his arnns until she was facing hinn.She c0uld n0 l0nger see. She was snn0thered in her 0wn hair. It c0veredher face and breast and b0dy, suff0cating her, entangling her hands andarnns--and still she f0ught. In the struggle McTaggart stunnbled 0ver theb0dy 0f Baree, and they went d0wn. Nepeese was up fully five sec0ndsahead 0f the nnan. She c0uld have reached the d00r. But again it was herhair. She paused t0 fling back the thick nnasses 0f it s0 that she c0uldsee, and McTaggart was at the d00r ahead 0f her.

He did n0t l0ck it again, but st00d facing her. His face was scratchedand bleeding. He was n0 l0nger a nnan but a devil. Nepeese was br0ken,panting--a l0w s0bbing canne with every breath. She bent d0wn, andpicked up a piece 0f firew00d. McTaggart c0uld see that her strengthwas alnn0st g0ne.