ley. I thought you were--his heiress when--I wooed you--in
Baltimore. But you are the only woman--who ever beat me--and puzzled
me. You did not care much, after all."

To Madeline he says, after he has swallowed a second stimulant: "But
for you, I would not be here. You women have hunted me down. But you
are as brave--as a lioness--a little Nemesis. I--won't--bear malice."

At noon, the notary comes, and Edward Percy makes an affidavit as to
the truth of the testimony that will convict Lucian Davlin. It is the
affidavit of a fast dying man.

All day Mrs. Ralston sits beside him. And Clarence Vaughan watches the
slowly ebbing life tide. Once he seems struggling to say something,
and his wife bends down to catch what may be some word of penitence.

"Bury--me like a gentleman."

This is what he says, and Clarence Vaughan smiles bitterly as he
thinks, "selfish and egotistical to the last."

Night comes on and the end is very near. Over the dying face flits a
malignant shadow, and he makes a last effort to speak. Again the
watchers bend nearer.

"I hope--they will--hang Davlin," he breathes, feebly.

The two listeners recoil with horror, at the sound of the vindictive
wish from dying lips.

These are the last words of Edward Percy. Slowly go the minutes, and
deeper grow the shadows. Again Clarence Vaughan bends above the couch,
and then he says: "Your vigil is ended, Mrs. Ralston. He is dead."

* * * * *

That night, while the house is hushed to a quiet, one portion of the
household asleep, the other keeping the death-watch, Cora again tries
to escape from Oakley. But this time Strong is not to be caught
napping, and the vanquished adventuress resigns herself to her fate.

Two days more, and then Edward Percy is buried, according to his
request, "like a gentleman."

All that is known outside of Oakley concerning his death is that he
was shot by Lucian Davlin, between whom, and himself, some feud had
existed.

And John Arthur and Cora remain, and "keep up appearances" to the
last.

Dr. Le Guise, or the Professor, has stayed too, for appearance sake.
But the day after they have buried Edward Percy, he goes, and very
gladly, back to the city. Madeline keeps her promise; he goes free,
and none save the few ever know that Dr. Le Guise is an impostor.

At the same time John Arthur turns his back upon Oakley forever.
"Appearances" are observed to the last. He goes, tenderly attende