we can yet save ourselves and our dear ones! Arthur, you're hurting me
dreadfully. If you press me down that way, you'll force me to my knees."

Still she spoke in undertone, and still she muffled the light, while
steadily the weight of his arms increased. Suddenly he crowded her to
the earth. "Arthur," she murmured, "Arthur, what are you going to do?
Don't kill me here and now, Arthur; wait till to-morrow. I have that to
pass through to-night which may end my life peaceably in bed; and if it
should, then there will be no infamy on any of us,--on you or our child,
living, or on me, dead; and Godfrey, and Ruth, and mother, and all can
be"--

"Give me that lantern!" He held her with one hand, snatched the light
from cover, and thrust it into her face. "So this is what you signal him
with, is it?"

"Oh no, no! Arthur, dear, no! Before God's throne, no!"

He lifted it as high as his arm would go, and with all his force swung
it down, crashing and quenched, upon her head.

She gave a gentle sigh and rolled at his feet. Groaning with horror and
fright, he lifted her in his arms and bore her to her room and bed.

There she presently opened her eyes to find him laving her face and
head, moaning, covering them with kisses, and imploring her forgiveness
in a thousand hysterical repetitions.

"Hush, dear," she whispered. "I see how it all happened. Does anybody
know? Oh, God be thanked! don't let any one find out! It was all a