"Good God! Nella-Rose, but where can I take you?"

"There is no place--but here."

It seemed an hour that the silence lasted while Truedale faced this new
phase and came to his desperate conclusion.

Had any one suggested to him then that his decision was the decision of
weakness, or immemorial evil, he would have resented the thought with
bitterest scorn. Unknowingly he was being tempted by the devil in him,
and he fell; he had only himself to look to for salvation from his
mistaken impulses, and his best self, unprepared, was drugged by the
overpowering appeal that Nella-Rose made to his senses.

Standing with the girl in his arms; listening to the oncoming danger
which, he realized at last, might destroy him and her at any moment;
bereft of every one--everything that could have held them to the old
ideals; Truedale saw but one course--and took it.

"There is no place but here--no one but you and me!"

The soft tones penetrated to the troubled place where Truedale seemed to
stand alone making his last, losing fight.

"Then, by heaven!" he said, "let us accept it--you and I!"

He had crossed his Rubicon.

They ate, almost solemnly; they listened to that awful roar growing more
and more distinct and menacing. Nella-Rose was still and watchful, but
Truedale had never been more cruelly alive than he was then when, with
his wider knowledge, he realized the step he had taken. Whether it were
for life or death, he had blotted out effectually all that had gone to
the making of the man he once was. Whatever hope he might have had of
making Lynda Kendall and Brace understand, had things gone as he once
had planned, there was no hope now. No--he and Nella-Rose were alone and
helpless in the danger-haunted hills. He and she!

The sun made an effort to come forth later but the rush and roar of the
oncoming torrent seemed to daunt it. For an hour it struggled, then gave
up. But during that hour Truedale led Nella-Rose from the house.
Silently they made their way to a little hilltop from which they could
see an open space of dull, leaden sky. There Truedale took the girl's
hands in his and lifted his eyes while his benumbed soul sought whatever
God there might be.

"In Thy sight," he said slowly, deeply, "I take this woman for my wife.
Bless us; keep us; and"--after a pause--"deal Thou with me as I deal
with her."

Then the earnest eyes dropped to the frightened ones searching his face.

"You are mine!" Truedale s