storms that shake us to our farthest cells of life."

She became very still. He touched her arm and said heavily: "Come away,
come away."

She pointed to the words she had read. "I could not help but see, and
now I know what this must mean to you."

"Thee must go at once," he urged. "Thee should not have come. Thee was
safe--none knew. A few hours and it would all have been far behind. We
might never have met again."

Suddenly she gave a low, hysterical laugh. "You think you hide the real
thing from me. I know I'm ignorant and selfish and feeble-minded, but I
can see farther than you think. You want to tell the truth about--about
it, because you are honest and hate hiding things, because you want to
be punished, and so pay the price. Oh, I can understand! If it were not
for me you would not...." With a sudden wild impulse she got to her
feet. "And you shall not," she cried. "I will not have it." Colour came
rushing to her cheeks.

"I will not have it. I will not put myself so much in your debt. I will
not demand so much of you. I will face it all. I will stand alone."

There was a touch of indignation in her voice. Somehow she seemed moved
to anger against him. Her hands were clasped at her side rigidly, her
pulses throbbing. He stood looking at her fixedly, as though trying
to realise her. His silence agitated her still further, and she spoke
excitedly:

"I could have, would have, killed him myself without a moment's regret.
He had planned, planned--ah, God, can you not see it all! I would
have taken his life without a thought. I was mad to go upon such an
adventure, but I meant no ill. I had not one thought that I could not
have cried out from the housetops, and he had in his heart--he had what
you saw. But you repent that you killed him--by accident, it was by
accident. Do you realise how many times others have been trapped by him
as was I? Do you not see what he was--as I see now? Did he not say as
much to me before you came, when I was dumb with terror? Did he not make
me understand what his whole life had been? Did I not see in a flash
the women whose lives he had spoiled and killed? Would I have had pity?
Would I have had remorse? No, no, no! I was frightened when it was done,
I was horrified, but I was not sorry; and I am not sorry. It was to be.
It was the true end to his vileness. Ah!"

She shuddered, and buried her face in her hands for a moment, then went
on: "I can never forgive myself for going t