ssell, who, in addition to his fear, began
to feel vexation at this woman's pertinacity.

There was something in his tone which made Rita pause. She stood
erect, folded her arms, and looked at him. The moonlight fell on
both. Each could see the other.

Russell did not feel pleased with her appearance. She looked too
hard--too austere. She seemed to have an unlimited possibility of
daring and of vengeance. He began to think that he had been playing
with edge-tools, and that in trying to make use of Rita he had only
gained a new master for himself. The vague fears which had been
gathering through the day now grew stronger, and he realized his full
danger.

"You not want to fly? You not want to 'scape?" said Rita, with a
frown.

Russell thought it best to own up.

"Well, n-n-no," said he. "On the whole, I do not."

"Why?" asked Rita, in a hard voice.

"Oh--well--I've--I've--I've changed my mind," said Russell, in a
trembling voice.

He began to be more afraid of Rita than ever.

"Ah!" said Rita. "It is so--very well. Now leest'n to me; look at me.
What haf I done? I haf betray my maestro--I haf betray my friends:
this castle is took; my friends are run away, many of them dead;
their bodies are over there--they are dead. Who kill them? I--I the
traidor! I the Judas! I betray! And why? I betray--because you tempt
me! Do you know that? You tempt me! You ask me to helpa you! you
promise me all the world! I helpa you! I make mysef a traidor, and
now it haf come to this!

"Where are my friends?" continued Rita. "Gone! fled! dead! They sall
haunt me--their ghosts--they sall call for venganza; and I haf make
mysef a traidor to the friends that lofe me an' was kind! See me,
what I am! You haf make me to this--you! you! you! What! do you think
I sall let you turn false to me? No! nevaire! You sall be true to
me--what--evaire! You haf promis to gif me all the world. You haf
promis to gif me youselfa. You sall be what you say--'my man!' I sall
haf the recompensa, if I die from remordimiento. If you be a traidor
to me, I sall haf the venganza!"

During this wild harangue Rita seemed transported to fury--she seemed
a madwoman. Russell trembled in every limb from sheer terror. He
never had in all his life seen anything like this. His only hope now
was to escape from her insane rage, no matter under whose protection.

At length she stopped and grew calmer. Then she said, in a low, stern
voice:

"Now--will you come? Will