oing, but I still clung with a
steel-like clutch to his wrist and kept the pointed knife at bay. As
he bent me backwards on to the bed near the pillow, I took my right
hand from his arm, snatched the revolver from under the pillow, thrust
it into his face between the eyes, and fired.
He fell forwards, a great hole torn in his forehead, from which a
river of blood poured, joining the bright ribands and with them making
a sea of crimson.
I looked across him to where Suzee lay motionless.
"Suzee," I said, my breath almost dying in my throat.
She stirred slightly. I was beside her in a moment. Her eyelids opened
slowly. Then her eyes filled with terror.
"Where is he?" she muttered.
"Dead; he cannot hurt you any more. You are safe now."
"No, Treevor, I am dying; it pains me so here."
She laid one hand on her breast and I saw the blood well up between
two fingers. I tore aside the muslin veils on her bosom and found the
wound: it was not large, just one clean stab, turning purple at the
edges.
"It is deep, Treevor; so deep. And it bleeds inside me. It is drinking
my life. I have only a few minutes to tell you. Hold up my head. I
can't breathe."
I slipped my arm beneath her little neck. My heart seemed breaking
with distress; black tides of resentment, of rage went through me,
that she should be torn from me.
"Listen, Treevor. It was I that lied to you. I told you he was dead,
and the child. They were not. I ran away. I left them at Sitka. I came
to 'Frisco and took refuge with that woman. Then I wrote to you."
A sudden horror of her seemed to enfold me as I heard.
How she had lied and deceived me! And forced me to break my word!
"Because I wanted you so much and I knew you would never have me if
you thought he was still alive.... Your stupid promise. What are
promises when one loves? I wanted you, Treevor, so much! So much!"
Some of the old fire flashed out of the dying eyes, a hungry,
despairing look.
"Kiss me, Treevor. Say you forgive me."
But I could not. For the moment I was so stunned, so overwhelmed by
this sudden revelation of her deception.
A deathly physical faintness was creeping over me; a sensation like
the beginning of long-denied sleep which rolls at last like an
unconquerable tide, obliterating everything, through the exhausted
frame, was invading my whole body. I clasped one hand mechanically
round the bed-rail to support myself, the ground seemed to lift and
sway bene
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