If only I'd Badshah I'd take you both up
on him and we'd break through the whole Chinese Army."
The girl shook her head.
"We couldn't go. We couldn't leave those poor women and children and the
servants."
"I forgot them. No; you're right. Well, I haven't lost all hope. I have
great faith in old Badshah. I shouldn't be surprised if he got us out of
this scrape, as he did before."
"Oh, I forgot him. I believe he'll help us still," cried the girl. "Where
did you leave him?"
"He left me. He's quite able to take care of himself," replied Dermot
grimly. "Now, Daleham, please take me round the house and show me the
defences; and we'll arrange about the roster of sentry-duty with the
servants. Please excuse me, Miss Daleham."
Through the weary night the two men, when not taking their turn on guard,
sat and talked with Noreen in the drawing-room. For the girl refused to go
to bed and, only to content them, lay back on a settee.
When she and Dermot were left alone she sighed and said:
"Ah, my beautiful forest! I must say good-bye to it. How I have enjoyed the
happy days in it."
"Some of them were too exciting to be pleasant," he replied smiling.
"But the others made up for them. I like to think of you in the forest
best," she said dreamily. "We were real friends there."
"And elsewhere, I hope."
"No.
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