Bar the door. Open only the back window for air. Stay inside--
with her--until it is all over. Go!"
"To the red flags, that is where I will go!" cried Jan fiercely,
wrenching his arm free. "It is your place to stay with Melisse!"
"My place is with the men."
"And mine?" Jan drew himself up rigid.
"One of us must shut himself up with her," pleaded Cummins. "It must
be you." His face gleamed white in the darkness. "You came--that
night--because Melisse was here. SOMETHING sent you--SOMETHING--don't
you understand? And since then she has never been near to death until
now. You must stay with Melisse--WITH YOUR VIOLIN!"
"Melisse herself shall choose," replied Jan. "We will go into the
cabin, and the one to whom she comes first goes among the red flags.
The other shuts himself in the cabin until the plague is gone."
He turned swiftly back to the door. As he opened it, he stepped aside
to let Cummins enter first, and behind the other's broad back he
leaped quickly to one side, his eyes glowing, his white teeth gleaming
in a smile. Unseen by Cummins, he stretched out his arms to Melisse,
who was playing with the strings of his violin on the table.
He had done this a thousand times, and Melisse knew what it meant--a
kiss and a joyous toss halfway to the ceiling.
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