第99章

A flush had crept over the O'Keefe's face as she was speaking.He took her hands and looked long into the golden eyes; glancing up I saw the Trinity were watching them in-tently--imperturbably.

"What do you say, _mavourneen_?" asked Larry gently.The handmaiden hung her head; trembled.

"Your words shall be mine, O one I love," she whispered.

"So going or staying, I am beside you."

"And you, Goodwin?" he turned to me.I shrugged my shoulders--after all I had no one to care.

"lt's up to you, Larry," I remarked, deliberately choosing his own phraseology.

The O'Keefe straightened, squared his shoulders, gazed straight into the flame-flickering eyes.

"We stick!" he said briefly.

Shamefacedly I recall now that at the time I thought this colloquialism not only irreverent, but in somewhat bad taste.

I am glad to say I was alone in that bit of weakness.The face that Lakla turned to Larry was radiant with love, and al-though the shamed hope had vanished from the sweet eyes, they were shining with adoring pride.And the marble vis-ages of the Three softened, and the little flames died down.

"Wait," said Lakla, "there is one other thing they say we must answer before they will hold us to that promise--wait--"

She listened, and then her face grew white--white as those of the Three themselves; the glorious eyes widened, stark terror filling them; the whole lithe body of her shook like a reed in the wind.

"Not that!" she cried out to the Three."Oh, not that! Not Larry--let me go even as you will--but not him!" She threw up frantic hands to the woman-being of the Trinity."Let ME bear it alone," she wailed."Alone--mother! Mother!"The Three bent their heads toward her, their faces pitiful, and from the eyes of the woman One rolled--tears! Larry leaped to Lakla's side.

_"Mavourneen!"_ he cried."Sweetheart, what have they said to you?"He glared up at the Silent Ones, his hand twitching to-ward the high-hung pistol holster.

The handmaiden swung to him; threw white arms around his neck; held her head upon his heart until her sobbing ceased.

"This they--say--the Silent Ones," she gasped and then all the courage of her came back."O heart of mine!" she whis-pered to Larry, gazing deep into his eyes, his anxious face cupped between her white palms."This they say--that should the Shining One come to succour Yolara and Lugur, should it conquer its fear--and--do this--then is there but one way left to destroy it--and to save your world."She swayed; he gripped her tightly.