ey enough
for us both--only come with me.'

'Not now--not now.'

'I am your husband, I tell you, and I must come in.'

'You cannot,' she said faintly. His words began to terrify her.

'I will, I say!' he exclaimed. 'Will you let me in, I ask once more?'

'No--I will not,' said Cytherea.

'Then I will let myself in!' he answered resolutely. 'I will, if I die
for it!'

The windows were glazed in lattice panes of leadwork, hung in casements.
He broke one of the panes with a stone, thrust his hand through the
hole, unfastened the latch which held the casement close, and began
opening the window.

Instantly the shutters flew together with a slam, and were barred with
desperate quickness by Cytherea on the inside.

'Damn you!' he exclaimed.

He ran round to the back of the house. His impatience was greater now:
he thrust his fist through the pantry window at one blow, and opened
it in the same way as the former one had been opened, before the
terror-stricken girl was aware that he had gone round. In an instant
he stood in the pantry, advanced to the front room where she was, flung
back the shutters, and held out his arms to embrace her.

In extremely trying moments of bodily or mental pain, Cytherea either
flushed hot or faded pale, according to the state of her constitution
at the moment. Now she burned like fire from head to foot, and this
preserved her consciousness.

Never before had the poor child's natural agility served her in such
good stead as now. A heavy oblong table stood in the middle of the room.
Round this table she flew, keeping it between herself and Manston, her
large eyes wide open with terror, their dilated pupils constantly fixed
upon Manston's, to read by his expression whether his next intention was
to dart to the right or the left.

Even he, at that heated moment, could not endure the expression of
unutterable agony which shone from that extraordinary gaze of hers.
It had surely been given her by God as a means of defence. Manston
continued his pursuit with a lowered eye.

The panting and maddened desperado--blind to everything but the capture
of his wife--went with a rush under the table: she went over it like
a bird. He went heavily over it: she flew under it, and was out at the
other side.

'One on her youth and pliant limbs relies,
One on his sinews and his giant size.'

But his superior strength was sure to tire her down in the long-run.
She felt her weakness incre