I took the decanter and poured it over the roots of a palm in the
window. Then I snatched the photograph from her hand and tore it into
a hundred pieces.

"You vile woman," I said, "if I did my duty to society, you would never
leave this room alive!"

"I love you, Austin; I love you!" she wailed.

"Yes," I cried, "and Charles Sadler before. And how many others before
that?"

"Charles Sadler!" she gasped. "He has spoken to you? So, Charles
Sadler, Charles Sadler!" Her voice came through her white lips like a
snake's hiss.

"Yes, I know you, and others shall know you, too. You shameless
creature! You knew how I stood. And yet you used your vile power to
bring me to your side. You may, perhaps, do so again, but at least you
will remember that you have heard me say that I love Miss Marden from
the bottom of my soul, and that I loathe you, abhor you!

"The very sight of you and the sound of your voice fill me with horror
and disgust. The thought of you is repulsive. That is how I feel
toward you, and if it pleases you by your tricks to draw me again to
your side as you have done to-night, you will at least, I should think,
have little satisfaction in trying to make a lover out of a man who has
told you his real opinion of you. You may put what words you will into
my mouth, but you cannot help remembering----"

I stopped, for the woman's head had fallen back, and she had fainted.
She could not bear to hear what I had to say to her! What a glow of
satisfaction it gives me to think that, come what may, in the future
she can never misunderstand my true feelings toward her. But what will
occur in the future? What will she do next? I dare not think of it.
Oh, if only I could hope that she will leave me alone! But when I
think of what I said to her---- Never mind; I have been stronger than
she for once.

April 11. I hardly slept last night, and found myself in the morning
so unstrung and feverish that I was compelled to ask Pratt-Haldane to
do my lecture for me. It is the first that I have ever missed. I rose
at mid-day, but my head is aching, my hands quivering, and my nerves in
a pitiable state.

Who should come round this evening but Wilson. He has just come back
from London, where he has lectured, read papers, convened meetings,
exposed a medium, conducted a series of experiments on thought
transference, entertained Professor Richet of Paris, spent hours gazing
into a crystal, and obtained som