u all have been in a league
against me."

"Who--Jonas?"

"Who? Why, Sanna Verstage and all. Did not she ask to have you at
the Ship, and say that the painting fellow was going or gone? And
is he not there still? She said it to get you and him together
there, away from me, out of the reach of Sarah's eyes."

"It is false, Jonas!" exclaimed Mehetabel with indignation, that
for a while overcame her fear.

"False!" cried Bideabout. "Who is false but you? What is false but
every word you speak? False in heart, false in word, and false in
act." He had laid hold of the bit of ironstone, and he struck the
anvil with it at every charge of falsehood.

"Jonas," said Mehetabel, recovering self-control under the
resentment she felt at being misunderstood, and her action
misinterpreted. "Jonas, I have done you no injury. I was weak.
God in heaven knows my integrity. I have never wronged you; but
I was weak, and in deadly fear."

"In fear of whom?"

"Of myself--my own weakness."

"You weak!" he sneered. "You--strong as any woman."

"I do not speak of my arms, Jonas--my heart--my spirit--"

"Weak!" he scoffed. "A woman with a weak and timorous soul would
not come to Thor's Stone at night. No--strong you are--in evil, in
wickedness, from which no tears will withhold you. And--that
fellow--that daub-paint--"

Mehetabel did not speak. She was trembling.

"I ask--what of him? Was not he in your thoughts when you asked
the Devil to rid you of me--your husband?"

"I did not ask that, Jonas."

"What of him? He has not gone away. He has been with you. You knew
he was not going. You wanted to be with him. Where is he--this
dauber of canvas--now?"

Then, through the fine gauze of condensing haze, came a call from
a distance--"Matabel! Where are you?"

"Oh, ho!" exclaimed the Broom-Squire. "Here he comes. By appointment
you meet him here, where you least expected that I would be."

"It is false, Jonas. I came here to escape."

"And pray for my death?"

"No, Jonas, to be rid of him."

Bideabout chuckled, with a sarcastic sneer in the side of his face.

"Come now," said he; "I should dearly like to witness this meeting.
If true to me, as you pretend, then obey me, summon him here, and
let me be present, unobserved, when you meet. If your wish be, as
you say, to be rid of him, I will help you to its fulfilment."

"Jonas!"

"I will it. So alone can you convince me."

She hesitated. She had not the power to gather her