Swift as light she flung herself down before Steele, against his knees, clasped her arms round him.

"Good God! Miss Sampson, you mustn't do that!" implored Steele.

He tried to break her hold with shaking hands, but he could not.
"Listen! Listen!" she cried, and her voice made Steele, and Sally and me also, still as the rock behind us.

"Hear me! Do you think I beg you to let my father go, for his sake?
No! No! I have gloried in your Ranger duty.

I have loved you because of it.