rm,
"and I will bless you, and wish you all good things--and kiss you
good-by."

"If you go," said Farallone, and his great voice trembled, "I die. You
are everything. You know that. Would I have hit you if I hadn't loved
you so--poor little cheek!" His voice became a kind of mumble.

"Let us go," said the bride, "if you love me."

"Not _you_," said Farallone, "while I live. I would not be such a fool.
Don't you know that in a little while you'll be glad?"

"Is that your final word?" said the bride.

"It must be," said Farallone. "Are you not a gift to me from God?"

"I think you must be mad," said the bride.

"I am unalterable," said Farallone, "as God made me--I _am_. And you
are mine to take."

"Do you remember," said the bride, "what you said when you gave me the
revolver? You said that if ever I thought it best to shoot you--you
would let me do it."

"I remember," said Farallone, and he smiled.

"That was just talk, of course?" said the bride.

"It was not," said Farallone; "shoot me."

"Let us go," said the bride. Her voice faltered.

"Not you," said Farallone, "while I live."

His voice, low and gentle, had in it a kind of far-off sadness. He
turned his eyes from the bride and looked the rising sun in the face. He
turned back to her and smiled.

"You haven't the heart to shoot me," he said. "My darling."

"Let us go."

"_Let--you--go!_" He laughed. "_Send--away--my--mate!_"

His eyes clouded and became vacant. He blinked them rapidly and raised
his hand to his brow. It seemed to me that in that instant, suddenly
come and suddenly gone, I perceived a look of insanity in his face. The
bride, too, perhaps, saw something of the kind, for like a flash she had
the revolver out and cocked it.

"Splendid," cried Farallone, and his eyes blazed with a tremendous love
and admiration. "This is something like," he cried. "Two forces face to
face--a man and a bullet--love behind them both. Ah, you do love
me--don't you?"

"Let us go," said the bride. Her voice shook violently.

"Not you," said Farallone, "while I live."

He took a step toward her, his eyes dancing and smiling. "Do you know,"
he said, "I don't know if you'll do it or not. By my soul, I don't know.
This is living, this is. This is gambling. I'll do nothing violent," he
said, "until my hands are touching you. I'll move toward you slowly one
slow step at a time--with my arms open--like this--you'll have plenty of
chance to shoot me--we