hope for now." He even drew near her to
enable her to carry out her wish: but, on that, Jael Dence wrenched her
round directly, and Dr. Amboyne disarmed her, and Raby marched between
the bride and the bridegroom, and kept them apart: then they all drew
their breath, for the first time, and looked aghast at each other.

Not a face in that room had an atom of color left in it; yet it was not
until the worst was over that they realized the savage scene.

The bridegroom leaned against the wardrobe, a picture of despair, with
blood trickling from his cheek, and channeling his white waist-coat
and linen; the bride, her white and bridal sleeve spotted with blood,
writhed feebly in Jael Dence's arms, and her teeth clicked together, and
her eyes shone wildly. At that moment she was on the brink of frenzy.

Raby, a man by nature, and equal to great situations, was the first to
recover self-possession and see his way. "Silence!" said he, sternly.
"Amboyne, here's a wounded man; attend to him."

He had no need to say that twice; the doctor examined his patient
zealously, and found him bleeding from the tongue as well as the cheek;
he made him fill his mouth with a constant supply of cold water, and
applied cold water to the nape of his neck.

And now there was a knock at the door, and a voice inquired rather
impatiently, what they were about all this time. It was Mr. Carden's
voice.

They let him in, but instantly closed the door. "Now, hush!" said Raby,
"and let me tell him." He then, in a very few hurried words, told him
the matter. Coventry hung his head lower and lower.

Mr. Carden was terribly shaken. He could hardly speak for some time.
When he did, it was in the way of feeble expostulation. "Oh, my child!
my child! what, would you commit murder?"

"Don't you see I would," cried she, contemptuously, "sooner than HE
should do it, and suffer for it like a felon? You are all blind, and
no friends of mine. I should have rid the earth of a monster, and they
would never have hanged ME. I hate you all, you worst of all, that call
yourself my father, and drove me to marry this villain. One thing--you
won't be always at hand to protect him."

"I'll give you every opportunity," said Coventry, doggedly. "You shall
kill me for loving you so madly."

"She shall do no such thing," said Mr. Carden. "Opportunity? do you know
her so little as to think she will ever live with you. Get out of my
house, and never presume to set foot