my home?"

She did not answer him. She looked steadily at him, and he dared
not meet her eyes.

"You must come with me at once," he said.

"I will not go with you."

"I will make you."

"That you cannot."

"You are mad. You must be put under restraint."

"I will go to the madhouse, but not to the Punch-Bowl."

"You shall be forced to return."

"How?"

"I will have you tied. I will swear you are crazed. I will have you
locked up, and I will beat you till you learn to obey and behave as
I would have you."

"Jonas," said Mehetabel, "this is idle talk. Never, never will I go
back to you."

"Never!"

He approached, his eyes glaring, his white fangs showing, like
those of a dog about to bite.

Instinctively she put her hand into her pocket and drew forth a
lump of ironstone, that she had brandished the previous evening
before Sally Rocliffe and Giles Cheel; and which she carried with
her as her only weapon of defence.

"Jonas," said Mehetabel. "You may threaten, but your threats do not
move me. I can defend myself."

"Oh, with a stone? he scoffed.

"Yes, if need be with a stone. But I have better protection than
that."

"Indeed--let me hear it."

"If you venture to touch me--venture to threaten any more--then I
shall appeal for protection."

"To whom--to Iver?"

"Not to Iver," her heart boiled up, and was still again.

"To whom--to Farmer Colpus?"

"To the law."

"The law!" jeered Jonas. "It is the law that will send you back to
me."

"It is the law which will protect me from you," answered Mehetabel.

"I am fain to learn how."

"How! I have but to go before a magistrate and tell how you tried
to poison your own child--how, when that failed, you tried to
smother it. And, Jonas," she added--as she saw his face grow ashen,
and a foam bubble form on his lips--"and, Jonas," she stepped
forward, and he backed--his glassy eyes on her face, "and, Jonas,"
she said, "look here, I have this stone. With the like of this you
sought to kill me in the moor." She raised it above her head, "you
would-be murderer of your wife and your child--I am free from you."
She took another step forward--he reeled back and vanished--disappeared
instantly from her sight with a scream--instantly and absolutely,
as when the earth opened its mouth at the word of Moses and swallowed
up Korah.

CHAPTER XLIV.

AGAIN: IRONSTONE.

Mehetabel heard shouts, exclamations, and saw Thomas Rocliffe and
his son, Sam