in a low, steady tone in which fear struggled with tenderness.

"Why will I not do it?" was sternly demanded.

They were standing near the door, so that their voices could be heard
distinctly in the next room.

"Because you love me too well," was the sweet, quiet answer. The voice
of Mrs. Abercrombie did not betray a single tremor.

All was hushed again. Then came another movement in the room, and the
sound of a closing drawer. Mr. and Mrs. Craig were beginning to breathe
more freely, when the noise as of some one springing suddenly upon
another was heard, followed by a struggle and a choking cry. It
continued so long that Mr. Craig ran out into the hall and knocked at
the door of General Abercrombie's room. As he did so the noise of
struggling ceased, and all grew still. The door was not opened to his
summons, and after waiting for a little while he went back to his own
room.

"This is dreadful," he said. "What can it mean? The general must be
insane from drink. Something will have to be done. He may be strangling
his poor wife at this very moment. I cannot bear it. I must break open
the door."

Mr. Craig started toward the hall, but his wife seized hold of him and
held him back.

"No, no, no!" she cried, in a low voice. "Let them alone. It may be her
only chance of safety. Hark!"

The silence in General Abercrombie's room was again broken. A man's
firm tread was on the floor and it could be heard passing clear across
the apartment, then returning and then going from side to side. At
length the sound of moving furniture was heard. It was as if a person
were lifting a heavy wardrobe or bureau, and getting it with some
difficulty from one part of the room to the other.

"What can he be doing?" questioned Mrs. Craig, with great alarm.

"He is going to barricade the door, most likely," replied her husband.

"Barricade the door? What for? Good heavens, Mr. Craig! He may have
killed his wife. She may be lying in there dead at this very moment.
Oh, it is fearful! Can nothing be done?"

"Nothing, that I know of, except to break into the room."

"Hadn't you better rouse some of the boarders, or call a waiter and
send for the police?"

The voice of Mrs. Abercrombie was heard at this moment. It was calm and
clear.

"Let me help you, general," she said.

The noise of moving furniture became instantly still. It seemed as if
the madman had turned in surprise from his work and stood confronting
his wife, but whe