death. The long clinging
stems amongst which she sank held her fair body in their cold, clammy
embraces, so that she never rose again. It was long before they found
her.

And, oh! who shall ever describe that dreadful scene by the margin of
Shadonake Bath, whilst the terrified crowd that had gathered there
quickly waited for her whom all knew to be hopelessly gone from them for
ever!

The sobbing, frightened women; the white, stricken faces of the men; the
agony of those who had loved her; the distress and dismay of those who
had only admired her; and there was one trembling, shuddering wretch, in
her satin and her jewels, standing white and haggard apart, with knees
that shook together, and teeth that clattered, and tearless sobs that
shook her from head to foot, staring with a half-maddened stare upon the
fatal waters.

Then, when all was at an end and the worst was known, when the poor
dripping body had been reverently covered over and borne away by loving
arms amid a torrent of sobs and wailing tears towards the house, then
some one came near her and spoke to her--some one off whom the water came
pouring in streams, and whose face was white and wild as her own.

"Get you away out of my sight," said the man whom she had loved so
fruitlessly to her.

"Have pity! have pity!" was the cry of despair that burst from her
quivering lips. "Was it not all an accident?"

"Yes, let it be so to the world, because you bear my name, and I will not
have it dragged through the mire--to all others it is an accident--but
never to me, for _I saw you let her go_! There is the stain of murder
upon your hands. I will never call you wife, nor look upon your face
again; get yourself away out of my sight!"

With a low sobbing cry she turned and fled away from him, and away from
the place, out among the shadows of the fir-trees. Once again some one
stopped her in her terror-stricken flight.

It was Denis Wilde, who came striding towards her under the trees, and
caught her roughly by the wrist.

"It is _you_ who have killed her!" he said, savagely.

"What do you mean?" she murmured, faintly.

"I saw it in your face last night when you were wandering about the house
during the thunderstorm; you meant her death then. I saw it in your eyes.
My God! why did I not watch over her better, and save her from such a
devil as you?"

"No, no, it is not true; it was an accident. Oh, spare me, spare me!"
with a piteousness of terror, was al