ng. Oh,
Ward, it is the man you love! We can save him." She stamped her foot in
the frenzy of her emotion, her hands twisting together. "I _will_ go. I
forbid you to keep--to hinder--to--to, oh, what is to become of us? If
you love me, if you love him--_Ward, will you let me go?_"

Bennett put his hands over his ears, his eyes closed. In the horror of
that moment, when he realised that no matter how he might desire it he
could not waver in his resolution, it seemed to him that his reason must
give way. But he set his back to the door, his hand gripped tight upon
the knob, and through his set teeth his answer came as before:

"No."

"Nurse--Miss Searight, where are you? Hurry, oh, hurry!"

"Will you let me go?"

"No."

Lloyd caught at his hand, shut so desperately upon the knob, striving to
loosen his clasp. She hardly knew what she was doing; she threw her arms
about his neck, imploring, commanding, now submissive, now imperious,
her voice now vibrating with anger, now trembling with passionate
entreaty.

"You are not only killing him, you are killing my love for you; will you
let me go--the love that is so dear to me? Let me love you, Ward; listen
to me; don't make me hate you; let me love you, dear--"

"Hurry, oh, hurry!"

"Let me love you; let him live. I want to love you. It's the best
happiness in my life. Let me be happy. Can't you see what this moment is
to mean for us? It is our happiness or wretchedness forever. Will you
let me go?"

"No."

"For the last time, Ward, listen! It is my love for you and his life.
Don't crush us both--yes, and yourself. You who can, who are so
powerful, don't trample all our happiness under foot."

"Hurry, hurry; oh, will nobody come to help?"

"Will you let me go?"

"No."

Her strength seemed all at once to leave her. All the fabric of her
character, so mercilessly assaulted, appeared in that moment to reel,
topple, and go crashing to its wreck. She was shattered, broken,
humbled, and beaten down to the dust. Her pride was gone, her faith in
herself was gone, her fine, strong energy was gone. The pity of it, the
grief of it; all that she held dearest; her fine and confident
steadfastness; the great love that had brought such happiness into her
life--that had been her inspiration, all torn from her and tossed aside
like chaff. And her patient--Ferriss, the man who loved her, who had
undergone such suffering, such hardship, who trusted her and whom it was
her du