lf! I've longed for this moment,
Jim"--she set her teeth--"longed for it during the horrible days and the
still more horrible nights. It was only my hatred of you that kept me
alive in the first ghastly weeks. I could have died--I was very ill at
first, and they thought I'd die--but I knew I wouldn't. I meant to live
so that I could tell you again to your face that I hate you, hate
you--_hate_ you! And I'm going to show you what hate is, Jim--I'm going
to make you wish you were dead--or in prison, as I have been. Oh, my
God--I wish--I wish I _were_ dead!"

With a sudden collapse of all her powers she dropped, face downwards, on
the big divan, and burst into a fit of wild and uncontrollable sobbing.

With an effort whose magnitude he himself only half realized, Herrick
went softly over to the weeping, writhing figure, and laid his hand very
gently on her shoulder.

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

She flung off his hand as though it had been a venomous serpent which
had touched her; and again her wild sobbing filled the room.

"Eva, listen to me, dear." Herrick sat down beside her and spoke in a
quiet tone, which yet pierced through her sobs. "You must not say
anything like that to me again. There isn't any question of hatred
between you and me. We are together now, and we must build up a new and
happy life together which will help us to forget the less happy past.
Come, dear, look up and tell me you will help me to make a fresh start."

She did not speak, but her sobs lessened as though she were listening.

"Now, Eva, sit up and dry your eyes and we will drop the subject. Come
upstairs and have a rest before dinner. You are tired out and want a
good sleep."

She rose without a word, but in her face he read only fatigue, none of
the softening which he had hoped to see.

"Yes. I'm tired--dead tired." She moved languidly towards the door. "I
think I shall never be anything else--now."

Her fit of passion had indeed worn her out. For the rest of the evening
she was quiet and listless; and she went upstairs very early to bed,
leaving Herrick to sit alone with his dog, smoking his pipe, and facing
the future with a sinking heart.

He sat there until the hour was really late; and then crept upstairs
very softly to avoid waking Eva, if indeed she slept.

Just as he reached her door he heard a faint, strangled cry, and rushed
into her room to find her in the throes of one of the nightmares which
he found, later, were a