his face white from
furious jealousy.

The struggle was unequal. He was the stronger. Further resistance was
futile.

"All right," she said breathlessly; "I'll give it to you."

Slowly, she drew the pieces out of her bosom, and handed them to him.
He took them, and, keeping his eyes fixed on hers, slowly smoothed them
out, and pieced them together so that he could read the dispatch. When,
at last, he began to read, she staggered back apprehensively.

He read it slowly, deliberately. When he had finished, he looked up.
Sternly, he said:

"Then you knew?"

"Yes," she faltered.

"But you didn't know he was coming until he arrived?"

"No."

"And you didn't mail the letter, did you?"

"No----"

His face turned livid with rage. Clenching his fists menacingly, he
advanced towards her.

"What did you do with it?" he thundered.

Shrinking from him, afraid of his violence, she replied faintly:

"I--I burned it."

"Why?" he shouted, in a fury.

Dazed, bewildered, almost hysterical, Laura was unable to answer. He
advanced until he almost stood over her, his arm raised threateningly,
as if about to strike her. She cowered before him.

"Why--why?" he repeated hoarsely.

Almost in tears, she murmured weakly:

"I--I couldn't help it. I simply couldn't help it."

Folding his arms he looked down at her with an expression in which pity
was mingled with contempt. A straightforward man himself, he had no
patience with lying. He could forgive her lying--it was natural to
her--but she had made him appear a liar. With a sweeping gesture of his
hand, which took in the whole room, and its luxurious contents, he
said:

"And he doesn't know about us?"

"No."

Thoroughly exasperated, he again advanced towards her, his face
distorted with rage.

"By God!" he exclaimed. "I never beat a woman in my life, but I feel as
though I could wring your neck!"

White-faced, trembling, she stared at him helplessly. Hysterically, she
cried:

"Why don't you? You have done everything else. Why don't you?"

"Don't you know," he continued furiously, "that I gave Madison my word
that if you came back to me I'd let him know? Don't you know that I
like that young fellow, and I wanted to protect him, and did everything
I could to help him? And do you know what you've done to me? You've
made me out a liar--you've made me lie to a man--a man--you understand!
What are you going to do now? Tell me--what are you going to do now?
Don't s