feared lest this speaker who had taken his stand on the war engine
should make schisms amongst their ranks unless some skilled person
stood up also to refute his arguments.

Here, then, it seemed to me that I must be elbowed into my
skirmish by the most unexpected of chances, but Nais was firmly
minded that there should be no fight, if courage on her part could
turn it. "Come out with me," she whispered, "and keep distant from
the light of the fires."

"But how explain my being here?"

"There is no reason to explain anything," she said bitterly.
"They will take you for my lover. There is nothing remarkable in
that: it is the mode here. But oh, why did not the Gods make you
wear a beard, and curl it, even as other men? Then you could have
been gone and safe these two hours."

"A smooth chin pleases me better."

"So it does me," I heard her murmur as she leaned her weight
on the stone which hung in the doorway, and pushed it ajar; "your
chin." The ragged men outside--there were women with them
also--did not wait to watch me very closely. A coarse jest or two
flew (which I could have found good heart to have repaid with a
sword-thrust) and they stepped off into the darkness, just turning
from time to time to make sure we followed. On all sides others
were pressing in the same direction--black shadows against the
night; the rain spat noisily on the camp fires as we passed them;
and from behind us came up others. There were no sleepers in the