and
I will." And he actually carried his plate and cup to the sink, where he
turned the water upon them with another loud guffaw.

"If only his fancy would take him into the pantry," she thought, "I
could shut and lock the door upon him and hold him prisoner till Ned
gets back."

But his fancy ended its flight at the sink, and before her hopes had
fully subsided he was standing on the threshold of the sitting-room
door.

"It's pretty here," he exclaimed, allowing his eye to rove again over
every hiding-place within sight. "I wonder now"--He stopped. His glance
had fallen on the cupboard over her husband's desk.

"Well?" she asked, anxious to break the thread of his thought, which was
only too plainly mirrored in his eager countenance.

He started, dropped his eyes, and turning looked at her with a momentary
fierceness. But, as she did not let her own glance quail, but continued
to look at him with what she meant for a smile on her pale lips, he
subdued this outward manifestation of passion, and, chuckling to hide
his embarrassment, began backing into the entry, leering in evident
enjoyment of the fears he caused, with what she felt was a most horrible
smile. Once in the hall, he hesitated, however, for a long time; then he
slowly went toward the garment he had dropped on entering and stooping,
drew from underneath its folds a wicked-looking stick. Giving a kick
to the coat, which sent it into a remote corner, he bestowed upon her
another smile, and still carrying the stick went slowly and reluctantly
away into the kitchen.

"Oh, God Almighty, help me!" was her prayer.

There was nothing for her to do now but endure, so throwing herself
into a chair, she tried to calm the beating of her heart and summon up
courage for the struggle which she felt was before her. That he had come
to rob and only waited to take her off her guard she now felt certain,
and rapidly running over in her mind all the expedients of self-defense
possible to one in her situation, she suddenly remembered the pistol
which Ned kept in his desk. Oh, why had she not thought of it before!
Why had she let herself grow mad with terror when here, within reach of
her hand, lay such a means of self-defense? With a feeling of joy (she
had always hated pistols before and scolded Ned when he bought this one)
she started to her feet and slid her hand into the drawer. But it came
back empty. Ned had taken the weapon away with him.

For a moment, a surge o