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she had planned。 There would be no crawling secretly away。 He
would be the first to die when the fighting began。 But he said；
and his voice was steady； and he still feigned to see with dull
eyes and to shiver from his sickness：
〃The way is clear。〃
And they started up； Ivan and his forty men from the far lands
beyond the Sea of Bering。 And there was Karduk； the man from
Pastolik； and Negore； with the two guns always upon him。 It was a
long climb； and they could not go fast； but very fast to Negore
they seemed to approach the midway point where top was no less near
than bottom。
A gun cracked among the rocks to the right； and Negore heard the
war…yell of all his tribe； and for an instant saw the rocks and
bushes bristle alive with his kinfolk。 Then he felt torn asunder
by a burst of flame hot through his being； and as he fell he knew
the sharp pangs of life as it wrenches at the flesh to be free。
But he gripped his life with a miser's clutch and would not let it
go。 He still breathed the air； which bit his lungs with a painful
sweetness； and dimly he saw and heard； with passing spells of
blindness and deafness； the flashes of sight and sound again
wherein he saw the hunters of Ivan falling to their deaths； and his
own brothers fringing the carnage and filling the air with the
tumult of their cries and weapons； and； far above； the women and
children loosing the great rocks that leaped like things alive and
thundered down。
The sun danced above him in the sky； the huge walls reeled and
swung； and still he heard and saw dimly。 And when the great Ivan
fell across his legs； hurled there lifeless and crushed by a down…
rushing rock； he remembered the blind eyes of Old Kinoos and was
glad。
Then the sounds died down； and the rocks no longer thundered past；
and he saw his tribespeople creeping close and closer； spearing the
wounded as they came。 And near to him he heard the scuffle of a
mighty Slavonian hunter； loath to die； and； half uprisen； borne
back and down by the thirsty spears。
Then he saw above him the face of Oona； and felt about him the arms
of Oona； and for a moment the sun steadied and stood still； and the
great walls were upright and moved not。
〃Thou art a brave man； Negore；〃 he heard her say in his ear； 〃thou
art my man； Negore。〃
And in that moment he lived all the life of gladness of which she
had told him； and the laughter and the song； and as the sun went
out of the sky above him； as in his old age； he knew the memory of
her was sweet。 And as even the memories dimmed and died in the
darkness that fell upon him； he knew in her arms the fulfilment of
all the ease and rest she had promised him。 And as black night
wrapped around him； his head upon her breast； he felt a great peace
steal about him； and he was aware of the hush of many twilights and
the mystery of silence。
End