For a space of several seconds he looked at her. Then he dropped her
hand and said:

"Now if the rest of you will just shake hands with me once--"

Silently the others grasped Nikol's hand, one after another, and at the
last came Stubbs.

To the latter's hand the dwarf clung tenaciously.

"You, sir, are a brave man," said Nikol. "I am glad I was able to save
you. You may be of some use in the world."

The pressure upon Stubbs' hand tightened and tightened until the little
man winced with the pain of it; but he made no outcry--only smiled as he
exclaimed in a broken voice:

"Nonsense! Nonsense!"

"Well, good-bye, all," said Nikol faintly, after a moment's pause.
"Good--"

The pressure on Stubbs' hand relaxed and the little dwarf of the Albanian
hills fell back, dead.

Stubbs rose and brushed the tears from his eyes. Then, after one look at
the still form on the ground, he turned and walked away. The others said
nothing, for they knew his grief was great.

And now, while the others--all good friends and true--are gathered about