wer, I
will just plant a kiss on your ruby lips--"

"Never, sir; _never_!" said she, with flashing eye. "Dare to touch me with
your polluted hand, and you die on the spot!"

"Ha! what's that I hear? Talk of killing, do you? Well, we shall see."

And he took a step toward her, with the intention of carrying out his
threat.

"Stop, sir!" she said; and there was that in the tone of her voice which
arrested him as suddenly as would a bar of iron interposed across his way.
"Know," she continued, "that lips polluted as yours are can never come in
contact with mine! I would sooner press mine to the slimy carcass of a
decaying animal, than permit them even to touch yours! and I would far
rather inhale the atmosphere from putrid flesh, aye, from the vilest
carrion, than that your foul breath should enter my nostrils! This, sir,
will give a faint idea of the utter detestation, the inexpressible
loathing, I feel for you."

"By heavens! you shall repent of this in sackcloth and ashes! Detest and
loathe as you please, you _shall_ feel my lips upon your own! and that
now!"

With this, the infuriated villain stepped forward and made a pass,
intending to encircle Eveline in his arms, but she eluded his grasp, and
placing the sofa between them, drew from the folds of her dress a small
dagger, and pointing it at his heart, said:

"One step, one movement toward me, and your life pays the forfeit!" and she
pressed the point of the weapon against his breast.

The cowardly wretch was taken aback, and the moment he felt the instrument
touch him sprang away, as if the sharp steel was truly entering his flesh.

"Base coward!" she, in her excitement, hissed between her teeth in the most
contemptuous manner. At his discomfiture and these words, his rage knew no
bounds; he was beside himself with anger, and but for the weapon which she
held, would have wreaked his vengeance upon her at once in the most beastly
manner. As it was, his cowardice did not permit him to make the attempt,
and he contented himself with pouring out his wrath in words:

"You incarnate child of h----l! I'll make you weep in sorrow and shame for
this! I have given you a week for reflection, but now your time is at hand,
any hour that I shall please to crush you! and I will not keep you long in
suspense. You have called up a thousand furies in my breast, all clamorous
for revenge, and I will not resist their cries! No, it will be manna to my
soul to see your proud s