ot place sufficient confidence in you; we had 'family jars,'
'vexed questions,' 'disagreements.'"

"Philip, for pity's sake----"

He runs his fingers through the grey hair, lying moist upon his
sun-bronzed brow. The crow's feet of sorrow furrow the corners of his
eyes, which are stern, but not angry. They have looked for the last
time on the golden season of life, now they stare at Eleanor as if
reading in her face the key of the everlasting twilight that has fallen
on his days.

Instinctively she cowers back, hiding her burning face in her hands,
red with a flush of deepest shame.

"Don't shrink from me," he says. "It is almost incomprehensible,
Eleanor, but----"

She looks up quickly.

"Ever since you left me I have had no thought but you. In life's
morning you were my love, my all. I could not tear you from my heart
had I wished to. But I never tried."

"Is that possible?" she gasps incredulously. "You must indeed have
loved me!"

"I may be mad, but it is so. I love you now in your degradation, and
misery, in spite of all!"

The confession staggers her.

"And you show it by hunting me down to destroy my happiness. You must
have sought long to find me here, and now that you are successful, now
that I am run to earth, what will you do?"

"What do you _think?_"

His face becomes fiendish. She watches his sinister smile.

"I have told you what I believe you capable of--you will murder him. I
know it. You have no pity! The love you boast of is swallowed up in
hate."

An evil flame lights his mocking eyes.

"Yes, I might spring at his throat as he comes from the jungle, I might
set 'Help' upon him in the dark. He is a weak man, easily unnerved.
The very sight of this knife----"

"Ah!"

Philip has drawn a sharp blade of steel from his coat and flashed it in
the moonlight, with a bitter groan.

He replaces it at the sight of her terror, with something of regret in
his hard smile.

"What false professions!" sneers Eleanor. "You dare to speak of loving
mo, when you would rob me of the man in whom all my happiness lies!"

Philip winces as if suddenly recalled to facts.

"Yes, your whole future was controlled by him."

His words fill her with a vague misgiving, but she draws herself up
proudly and replies:

"It is safe in Carol's keeping."

"You are sure of that?"

She bows a cold assent.

"Then listen, Eleanor." He speaks authoritatively. "Come here. Sit
down."

He point