en obtained by coercion, over-persuasion, and so
forth. Plausaby knew that his wife would sign anything if he could
present the matter to her alone. But, to get rid of Isabel Marlay?

A very coward now in the presence of Isa, he sent the lawyer ahead, while
he followed close behind.

"Miss Marlay," said Mr. Conger, smiling blandly but speaking with
decision, "it will be necessary for me to speak to Mrs. Plausaby for a
few minutes alone."

It is curious what an effect a tone of authority has. Isa rose and would
have gone out, but Mrs. Plausaby said, "Don't leave me, don't leave me,
Isa; they want to arrest me, I believe."

Seeing her advantage, Miss Marlay said, "Mrs. Plausaby wishes me to
stay."

It was in vain that the lawyer insisted. It was in vain that Mr. Plausaby
stepped forward and told Mrs. Plausaby to ask Isabel to leave the room a
minute. The sick woman only drew the cover over her eyes and held fast
to Isabel's hand and said: "No, no, don't go--Isa, don't go."

"I will not go till you ask me," said Isa.

At last, however, Plausaby pushed himself close to his wife and said
something in her ear. She turned pale, and when he asked if she wished
Isabel to go she nodded her head.

"But I won't go at all now," said Isa stubbornly, "unless you will go out
of the room first. Then, if Mrs. Plausaby tells me that she wishes to see
you and this gentleman without my presence, I shall go."

Mr. Plausaby drew the attorney into one corner of the room for
consultation. Nothing but the desperateness of his position and the
energetic advice of Mr. Conger could have induced him to take the course
which he now decided upon, for force was not a common resort with him,
and with all his faults, he was a man of much kindness of heart.

"Isa," he said, "I have always been a father to you. Now you are
conspiring against me. If you do not go out, I shall be under the painful
necessity of putting you out, gently, but by main strength." The old
smile was on his face. He seized her arms, and Isa, seeing how useless
resistance would be, and how much harm excitement might do to the
patient, rose to go. But at that moment, happening to look toward the
bed, she cried out, "Mrs. Plausaby is dying!" and she would not have been
a woman if she could have helped adding, "See what you have done, now!"

There was nothing Mr. Plausaby wanted less than that his wife should die
at this inconvenient moment. He ran off for the doctor, but poo