it gets too dark."

"Do you mean a receipt for the diamonds?"

"Not exactly, Cynthia, I--"

"Miss Ratchford, if you please!" she exclaimed. "Miss Ratchford to
you, always, after this!"

"Oh, very well! Now look here! I'm done with soft words and
foolishness!"

He took a sudden step nearer her, and she shrank back. Colonel Ashley,
who had worked himself to a position, where, hidden behind a screen of
bushes, he could see and hear, watched closely.

"Foolishness?" the woman questioned.

"Yes, foolishness! You know the trouble I'm in. I've got to have
money! You can get it for me!"

"I?"

"Yes. And, by the eternal, you've got to! Do you think I'm going to
ruin just because you couldn't stand a little rough treatment now and
then? Why, better women than you would be glad to come back to me.
I'll take you back!"

"Take me back! Oh, my God!"

"Cut out that hysterical stuff!" he ordered. "I'm desperate! I've got
to have money. I can raise it on a note if you'll sign it and put up
those bonds for security, and by--"

He caught her wrist in a grip that made her wince with pain as he swung
her around to face him.

"I've got to have your signature and the bonds!" he exclaimed in voice
tense with suppressed passion.

"The bonds!" she exclaimed. "You know what almost became of them. I
let you raise money on them once, and almost lost them. Now you dare
ask me for them again?"

"I do, and I'm going to enforce my demands! I've got to have money. I
darn't sell your diamonds--at least I don't want to. I'd rather you'd
have them," and he seemed to weaken as if with romance when it came to
this sentiment. "As for the bonds--"

"You'll never touch them!" she cried, bitterly. "Isn't it enough that
you have ruined my life? Now you must--"

"Oh, stop the theatrical business!" he sneered. "Pity you didn't go on
the stage. Now look here. This is your last chance. I'll give you
your diamonds if you'll sign this paper so I can get out of the tangle
I'm in. You've got to sign! It's your last chance. If you don't, by
all the--"

She tore herself away from him, and turned to flee, but he was too
quick for her, and was about to encircle her in his arms when she
shrank back and gave a despairing cry.

"Don't--don't touch me!"

This seemed to madden the man, for he sprang toward her, fury and
threat in every gesture.

"Aaron! Aaron! He's going to kill me!" screamed Cynthia.

Thought was n