"
The little priest sank to his knees trembling, glancing about him for a
means of escape.
"If thou killest me, thou diest also," he hissed.
"What do I care if I die?" she answered. "If my man dies, I wish to die,"
then added in English: "Richard, take hold of him by one arm, and Noie,
take the other. If he tries to escape kill him at once, or if you are
afraid, I will."
So they seized him by his arms.
"Now," said Rachel, "let us go back to the Sanctuary, for there they dare
not touch, us. We cannot try the desert without water; also they would
follow and kill us with their poisoned arrows. Tell them, Noie, that if
they do not attempt to harm us, we will set this priest of theirs free
within the Wall. But if a hand is lifted against us, then he dies at
once--by the Red Death,"
"Touch them not, touch them not," piped Eddo, "lest my ghost should be
spilt with my blood. Touch them not, I command you."
The company of dwarfs chattered together like parrots at the dawn, and the
march began. First went Eddo, dragged along between Richard and Noie, and
after them, the raised spear in her hand, followed Rachel, while on either
side, hiding themselves behind the boles of the trees, scrambled the
people of the dwarfs.
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