o kill herself," said Madison. "I just called you to
witness that the act is entirely voluntary on her part." Turning to the
frenzied, hysterical woman, he said indifferently: "Now go ahead!"

In a state bordering on collapse, Laura dropped the pistol on the
floor.

"John, I--can't----"

Madison waved the maid away.

"Annie, she's evidently changed her mind. You may go."

"But, Miss Laura, Ah----"

"You may go!" he cried peremptorily.

Bewildered and not understanding, the negress disappeared through the
_portieres_. In the same gentle tone, but carrying with it an almost
frigid conviction, he went on:

"You didn't have the nerve. I knew you wouldn't. For a moment you
thought the only decent thing for you to do was to die, and yet you
couldn't go through. I am sorry for you--more sorry than I can tell."

He took a step toward the door.

"You're going--you're going?" she wailed.

"Yes," he replied firmly.

She wept softly. Between her sobs she cried:

"And--and--you never thought that perhaps I'm frail, and weak, and a
woman, and that now, maybe, I need your strength, and you might give it
to me, and it might be better. I want to lean on you--lean on you,
John. I know I need some one." Coaxingly she entreated him; in her
tenderest, most seductive tones she made a last desperate effort to win
him back. "Aren't you going to let me? Won't you give me another
chance?" she pleaded tearfully.

He repelled her coldly.

"I gave you your chance, Laura," he replied.

"Give me another!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

He struggled with her, disentangling himself from her frantic embrace.
Pulling away, he said determinedly:

"You leaned the wrong way. Good-bye."

Going quickly to the door before she could again stop him, he opened
the door and disappeared. An instant later she heard the outer corridor
door slam. He was gone--forever!

She uttered a shrill scream of despair.

"John--John--I----"

Only a dead silence answered her frenzied, pitiful call. John was no
longer there to hear her. He was gone from her--forever. She would
never look on his face again. She could not blame him. She alone was at
fault. But what a blow! Her dream of a life of happiness with the man
she loved, her dream of self-redemption and regeneration, all that was
blasted at one stroke! And now Will Brockton was gone also. She had
lost them both. Abandoned and despised by the man she loved and also by
the man to wh