but he remained impassive. She was in a condition when wiles leave
a certain kind of man very untouched, and hate for Ishmael, not any
charm left for him in her, urged his cunning love-making.

"I can't go on weth it," he declared; "it's no good, Phoebe. What does
life hold for I now? Last week I was down in the mine when there was a
fall of rock, and for a bit we thought we'd never get out, and I said to
myself what did it matter?... it'll only save I the trouble of doen it
for myself."

"Archelaus!..."

"I put the barrel of my gun against my head t'other day and pulled the
trigger, but it missed fire. And then I dedn't try again, because I
thought all of a sudden that I must see you once more, Phoebe, and
tell 'ee plain all about it--what you and that husband of yours have
driven a man to."

"Don't talk to me about Ishmael! At least he's a good man, so he is, and
we're neither of us fit to live along of him!"

"Good, is he? Yes; but is he the man for 'ee? Do 'ee ever feel your lil'
heart beating the quicker against his? If he'm a man, why don't 'ee tell
him everything and let him kick me out, eh?"

"You know I can't tell him--that I couldn't ever."

"He'll knaw when I'm dead, because I'll lave word to show all men how
one brother took everything in life from another.... He'll knaw then."

"I don't believe you; I don't believe anyone would be so wicked, even
you."

"Ah! there's things in life even you don't knaw anything about, though
you'm so wicked yourself," said Archelaus grimly; "but you too 'll knaw
a bit more by-and-bye. I won't be able to keep off it for long,
Phoebe. Maybe it'll take me suddenly when I'm here one day. You'll
hear my life-blood running away, lil' 'un, and think for a minute it's
water drippen' somewhere. Or perhaps I'll just take a rope and hang
myself, and you'll hear I choken'. I saw a man hung in Australy once for
stealen' another man's gold, and he took an awful time to die, he did.
You could hear the choken' of him loud as bellows...." Phoebe had
turned sickly pale, she screamed out, and thrust him away from her.
"Katie!" she called. Archelaus went to the door and shouted into the
kitchen. "Your missus is feelen' faint," he informed the maids. "I just
looked into the parlour and saw her lyen' all wisht like." Katie
bustled past with an odd look at him, and Phoebe was taken up to bed.
She was better again next day, but she feared after that to leave her
room, and in spite of Ishm