Wherefore, when, a few minutes later, I bent over her, it was with
all gentleness that I touched and spoke to her.

"Our journey is over," I said. "This is home, my dear."

She let me help her to her feet, and up the wet and slippery steps to
the level of the wharf. It was now quite dark, there being no moon,
and thin clouds obscuring the stars. The touch of her hand, which I
perforce held since I must guide her over the long, narrow, and
unrailed trestle, chilled me, and her breathing was hurried, but she
moved by my side through the gross darkness unfalteringly
enough. Arrived at the gate of the palisade, I beat upon it with the
hilt of my sword, and shouted to my men to open to us. A moment,
and a dozen torches came flaring down the bank. Diccon shot back
the bolts, and we entered. The men drew up and saluted; for I held
my manor a camp, my servants soldiers, and myself their captain.

I have seen worse favored companies, but doubtless the woman
beside me had not. Perhaps, too, the red light of the torches, now
flaring brightly, now sunk before the wind, gave their
countenances a more villainous cast than usual. They were not all
bad. Diccon had the virtue of fidelity, if none other; there were a
brace of Puritans, and a handful of honest fools, who, if they
drilled badly, yet abhorred mutiny. But the half dozen I had taken
off Argall's hands; the Dutchmen who might have been own
brothers to those two Judases, Adam and Francis; the thief and the
highwayman I had bought from the precious crew sent us by the
King the year before; the negro and the Indians - small wonder that
she shrank and cowered. It was but for a moment. I was yet
seeking for words sufficiently reassuring when she was herself