peatedly beaten
her head on the floor, and this might have resulted seriously if
Cowperwood had not entered as quickly as he had. Sohlberg for the
moment--for some little time, in fact--was under the impression that
Aileen had truly lost her mind, had suddenly gone crazy, and that those
shameless charges he had heard her making were the emanations of a
disordered brain. Nevertheless the things she had said haunted him.
He was in a bad state himself--almost a subject for the doctor. His
lips were bluish, his cheeks blanched. Rita had been carried into an
adjoining bedroom and laid upon a bed; cold water, ointments, a bottle
of arnica had been procured; and when Cowperwood appeared she was
conscious and somewhat better. But she was still very weak and smarting
from her wounds, both mental and physical. When the doctor arrived he
had been told that a lady, a guest, had fallen down-stairs; when
Cowperwood came in the physician was dressing her wounds.

As soon as he had gone Cowperwood said to the maid in attendance, "Go
get me some hot water." As the latter disappeared he bent over and
kissed Rita's bruised lips, putting his finger to his own in warning
sign.

"Rita," he asked, softly, "are you fully conscious?"

She nodded weakly.

"Listen, then," he said, bending over and speaking slowly. "Listen
carefully. Pay strict attention to what I'm saying. You must
understand every word, and do as I tell you. You are not seriously
injured. You will be all right. This will blow over. I have sent for
another doctor to call on you at your studio. Your husband has gone
for some fresh clothes. He will come back in a little while. My
carriage will take you home when you are a little stronger. You
mustn't worry. Everything will be all right, but you must deny
everything, do you hear? Everything! In so far as you know, Mrs.
Cowperwood is insane. I will talk to your husband to-morrow. I will
send you a trained nurse. Meantime you must be careful of what you say
and how you say it. Be perfectly calm. Don't worry. You are perfectly
safe here, and you will be there. Mrs. Cowperwood will not trouble you
any more. I will see to that. I am so sorry; but I love you. I am
near you all the while. You must not let this make any difference.
You will not see her any more."

Still he knew that it would make a difference.

Reassured as to Rita's condition, he went back to Aileen's room to
plead with her again--to soothe