y--you
snooped just in time, Peter!--and wrote two letters. I didn't dare
leave the house to mail them. I might have dropped in the--_ah_!"

Swift as a flash of lightning it had come. Beyond that one moan she
fought silently, lips tight, one hand clutching at her side, through
seconds that seemed eternities to the man watching helplessly. At last
the spasm passed and speech returned to her.

"That's--just a preliminary twinge!" she whispered between her teeth.
"Peter--there's something beyond the stars! You believe that, don't
you?"

"My dear--my dear!"

"That's all right, then." She looked at him long. "I wonder if you'll
ever forgive me for hurting you like this. Try, won't you, Peter?"
Her eyes were luminous with unshed tears. "Will you get me a glass
of--water. On the table by my bed." She waited as he eagerly fetched
it, grateful that he could do even this much. "Thanks. Now, a
handkerchief--over there on the bureau." Again she waited, this time
until he was across the room by her dressing-table. Then she raised
the glass and spoke softly. "I'm glad I took this from _your_
hands--Peter!"

She had not thought him capable of such quickness. Not a drop had
passed her lips before he was upon her with the leap of a frightened
deer. A vicious sweep of his hand sent the glass from her fingers out
the window and through the moonlit night, to fall harmless on the lawn.

"Ocky--what were you doing?" he demanded almost furiously.

"Peter--what have you _done_?" she retorted. "That was all I had--all
I had! Oh, that was a cruel of you! Why do you want me to suffer?
Could you not let me die in peace?"

"You aren't going to die!" he cried. "Listen--how long will it be
before another of those attacks comes on?"

"I--don't know. Several hours, p-perhaps." She stared at him
open-eyed. "Wh-what are you going to do?"

"Local doctor, for temporary relief. To-morrow, the best
diagnosticians--and surgeons if necessary--in New York." He was alert,
now, coolly capable, free of the stupor of grief and despair. His face
was grimly defiant as he added, "We'll see how much those gentlemen in
Rome and Paris really know!"

"Oh--it's useless, Peter. And--and I _can't_ live! They'll h-hang me!
Peter, there's something I haven't told you. I hadn't stopped to think
until lately that an unsolved crime leaves so much ugly suspicion in
its wake! Innocent people--suspected all their lives! I couldn't die