whisper.

"I can only tell you that he'd never be safe a moment. I'm not afraid
of him. You see I'm armed," and he showed her a revolver. "He can't
quietly keep from me what I feel is my own."

"Merciful Heaven! This is terrible," she gasped.

"Of course it's terrible--I mean it to be so. You can't order me off
as if I were a tramp. Your best course for his safety is to go quietly
with me at once. I have a carriage waiting near at hand."

"No, no! I'd rather die than do that, and though he cannot feel as I
do, I believe he'd rather die than have me do it."

"Oh, well! If you think he's so ready to die--"

"No, I don't mean that! Kill me! I want to die."

"Why should I kill you?" he asked with a contemptuous laugh. "That
wouldn't do me a particle of good. It will be your own fault if anyone
is hurt."

"Was ever a woman put in such a cruel position?"

"Oh, yes! Many and many a time. As a rule, though, they are too
sensible and kind-hearted to make so much trouble."

"If you have legal rights, why don't you quietly enforce them instead
of threatening?"

For a moment he was confused and then said recklessly, "It would come
to the same thing in the end. Holcroft would never give you up."

"He'd have to. I wouldn't stay here a moment if I had no right."

"But you said you would not live with me again?"

"Nor would I. I'd go back to the poorhouse and die there, for do you
think I could live after another such experience? But my mind has
grown clearer. You are deceiving me again, and Mr. Holcroft is
incapable of deceiving me. He would never have called me his wife
unless I was his wife before God and man."

"I'm not deceiving you in regard to one thing!" he said tragically.

"O God, what shall I do?"

"If you won't go with me you must leave him," he replied, believing
that, if this step were taken, others would follow.

"If I leave him--if I go away and live alone, will you promise to do
him no harm?"

"I'd have no motive to harm him then, which will be better security
than a promise. At the same time I do promise."

"And you will also promise to leave me utterly alone?"

"If I can."

"You must promise never even to tempt me to think of going away. I'd
rather you'd shot me than ask it. I'm not a weak, timid girl. I'm a
broken-hearted woman who fears some things far more than death."

"If you have any fears for Holcroft, they are very rational ones."

"It is for his sake that I