Strangely Liberated

           JUSTasthesunwassinkingbeyondLakeTaupo,behindthepeaksofTuhahuaandPukepapu,thecaptiveswereconductedbacktotheirprison.TheywerenottoleaveitagaintillthetopsoftheWahitiRangeswerelitwiththefirstfiresofday.

           Theyhadonenightinwhichtopreparefordeath.Overcomeastheywerewithhorrorandfatigue,theytooktheirlastmealtogether.

           "Weshallneedallourstrength,"Glenarvanhadsaid,"tolookdeathintheface.WemustshowthesesavageshowEuropeanscandie."

           Themealended.LadyHelenarepeatedtheeveningprayeraloud,hercompanions,bare-headed,repeateditafterher.WhodoesnotturnhisthoughtstowardGodinthehourofdeath?Thisdone,theprisonersembracedeachother.MaryGrantandHelena,inacornerofthehut,laydownonamat.Sleep,whichkeepsallsorrowinabeyance,soonweigheddowntheireyelids;theysleptineachother’sarms,overcomebyexhaustionandprolongedwatching.

           ThenGlenarvan,takinghisfriendsaside,said:"Mydearfriends,ourlivesandthelivesofthesepoorwomenareinGod’shands.Ifitisdecreedthatwedieto-morrow,letusdiebravely,likeChristianmen,readytoappearwithoutterrorbeforetheSupremeJudge.God,whoreadsourhearts,knowsthatwehadanobleendinview.Ifdeathawaitsusinsteadofsuccess,itisbyHiswill.Sternasthedecreemayseem,Iwillnotrepine.Butdeathhere,meansnotdeathonly,itmeanstorture,insult,perhaps,andherearetwoladies—"

           Glenarvan’svoice,firmtillnow,faltered.