foot passionately--"I am not afraid of you, Juan Catheron!"

"And you will not give me the jewels?"

"Not one--not to keep you from spreading your slander from end to end
of England! Do your worst!--you cannot make me more wretched than I am.
And go, or I will call for help, and see whether my husband has not
courage to keep his word."

"You will not give me the rings?"

"Not to save your life! Hark! some one is coming! Now you will see
which of us is afraid of the other!"

He stood looking at her, a dangerous gleam in his black eyes.

"Very well!" he said; "so be it! Don't trouble yourself to call your
hero of a husband--I'm going. You're a plucky little thing after all,
Ethel. I don't know but that I rather admire your spirit. Adieu, my
dear, until we meet again."

He swung round, and vanished among the trees. He was actually singing
as he went,

"To-day for me.
To-morrow for thee--
But will that to-morrow ever be?"

The last rustle of the laurels died away; all was still; the twilight
was closing darkness, and, with a shudder, Ethel turned to go.