; if they starved, and denied
themselves common necessities. And Herresford must say that he drew the
checks for innocent Dick.

His wife agreed with him on these points; but on the question of
confessing their sin--their joint sin it had become now--she was
obdurate. She had yielded to his entreaties so far as to face the ordeal
of an interview with her father, she agreed to the most painful
economies; but further she would not go.

If Herresford consented to add lie to lie, and to exonerate Dick by
acknowledging the checks, all might yet be well.

Now, when his wife came in, with flushed face and lips working in anger,
he cried out, tremulously:

"Well, Mary?"

"It is useless, worse than useless!" she answered. "He is quite
impossible, as I told you."

"Then, he will not lend us the money?"

"No, indeed, no. Worse, John, he knows."

"Knows what?"

"That I did it. He understood Dick well enough, in spite of his wicked
abuse of him, and he had made him his heir. He accused me of altering the
checks, and--I couldn't deny it."

"Mary! Mary! You have ruined all. He will denounce us."

"No, he doesn't intend to do that, John. He knows the torture we are
enduring, and he wants it to go on. He means to let the bank lose the
money."

"Then, the burden of the guilt still rests on the shoulders of our dead
son."

"Oh, don't, John--don't put it like that! I've borne enough--I can't bear
much more. I think I'm going mad. My brain throbs, everything goes dim
before my sight, and my heart leaps, and shooting pains--"

She tottered forward into her husband's arms. He clasped her close,
drawing her to him and pressing kisses on her cheeks.

"My darling, my darling, be strong. It is not ended yet."

"Take me home, John--take me home!" she sobbed.

"No, I'll see the old man myself."

"John! John! It'll do no good--I beseech you! I cannot trust you out of
my sight. I never know what you may do or what you will say. I know it's
hard for you to go against your principles; but you mustn't absolutely
kill me. I should die, John, if you played traitor to me, your wife, and
allowed me to be sent to jail."

"Don't Mary--don't!" he groaned.

"When a man leaves his father and mother, he cleaves unto his wife: and,
when I left my home, John, I was faithful and true to you. It was for
you that I stooped to the trick which I now realize was a crime which my
father uses as a whip to lash me with. We must live it down, John.