ible. For they were environed with guards; and
in the room below and on the grass outside the followers of Lopez
lay between them and liberty.

"Brooke," said Talbot, "if you were now alone I know very well what
you would do."

"What?"

"You would draw your revolver, jump down, burst through the midst of
these men, and escape. Why not do so now?"

Brooke gave a short laugh.

"Do? Leave me! Fly! They cannot blame me if you fight your way
through them. Better to die fighting than be shot down helplessly."

"If I did so, they'd take out their vengeance on you."

"They would not."

"They would."

"Then you stay for me!"

"Yes."

Talbot drew a long breath.

"You are bent on dying, Brooke, not to save me, but merely to prevent
them from being too hard to me."

"They will let you go," said Brooke. "They will be satisfied--when I
am gone."

Talbot seized his hands in a convulsive grasp.

"Oh, Brooke!" she groaned. "Can nothing move you? What is life worth
to me at such a cost? Oh, Brooke, fly! Leave me. Fight your way out.
I will follow you."

"You cannot. If you tried, you would be sure to be captured. I might
escape as you say, but you could not."

"Oh, Brooke, try--fly! Oh, I could kill myself rather than endure
this any longer."

"Talbot!" said Brooke, suddenly shaking her off.

"What, Brooke?"

"You're a fool!"

"Yes, Brooke."

"You're a fool!" he repeated, in a voice that sounded like a gasp.
"Why will you persist in talking in this way, and blight and shatter
all my strength of soul? It's too late, I tell you. I will not. I
will not do anything that can expose you to fresh danger; your peril
is great enough now, but there is a bare chance for you if nothing
happens. When they have got one life they may feel inclined to spare
the other."

"Never!" said Talbot. "They shall not. I will not have it."

"You must!" said Brooke, fiercely.

"I tell you I will not!" cried Talbot, in a passionate voice.

"D--n you!" roared Brooke. "I tell you you must, and you shall!"

At this there was a noise below. Some of the guard had awakened.
Brooke drew a long breath, and retreated from the window into the
darkness. Talbot went after him.

"Talbot," said Brooke, in a voice that was strangely sweet yet
unutterably sad--"Talbot, do you want to break my heart?"

"Brooke," said Talbot, in a low, thrilling tone. "Is it your heart
only, do you think, that is now almost breaking?"

After this there was