od, as I suppose you do, I take God to
witness that I shall be a dead man this night, unless you promise to go
with me."

She stared, and turned white to the lips, as he had never seen her turn
pale before. She leaned forward, gazing into his eyes and breathing
hard.

"You do not mean that," she said, as though trying hard to convince
herself.

"I mean it," he answered slowly, pale himself, and knowing what he said.

She leaned nearer to him and took his arms with her hands, for she could
not speak. The terrible question was in his eyes.

"You would kill yourself, if I refused--if I would not go with you?"
Still she could not believe him.

"Yes," he answered.

Once more the room was very still, as the two looked into one another's
eyes. But Maria Addolorata said nothing. The frown deepened on
Dalrymple's face, and his strong mouth was drawn, as a man draws in his
lips at the moment of meeting death.

"Good-bye," he said, gently loosening himself from her hold.

Her hands dropped and she turned half round, following him as he went
towards the door. His hand was almost on the latch. He did not turn.
But as he heard her swift feet behind him, he bent his head a little.
Her arms went round his throat, reaching up to his great height.

"No! No!" she cried, drawing his head down to her.

But he took her by the wrists and held her away from him at his arms'
length.

"Are you in earnest?" he asked fiercely. "If you play with me any more,
you shall die, too."

"But not to-day!" she answered imploringly. "Not to-night! Give me
time--a day--a little while--"

"To lose you? No. I have been near losing you. I know what it means.
Make up your mind. Yes, or no."

"To-night? But how? There is not time--these clothes I wear--"

She turned her head distractedly to one side and the other as she spoke,
while he held her wrists. Dalrymple saw that there was reason in the
objections she made. So dangerous a flight could not be undertaken
without some preparation. He loosed her hands and began to pace the
room, concentrating his mind upon the details. She watched him in
silence, leaning against the back of the easy-chair. Then he stopped
just before her.

"My cloak would come down to your feet," he said, measuring her height
with his eyes. "I have a plaid which would cover your head. Once on
horseback, no one would notice anything. Can you ride?"

"No. I never learned."

"That is unlucky. But we can manage it. The ma