on in their eyes.
But when in a sudden burst of rage at my refusal to help them, they
pushed me aside and hurried to the door with the manifest intention of
going below, I forgot prudence in my fears and uttered some wild
appeal to them not to do injury to any one in the house for it was my
husband's. Of course that disclosure had its natural effect.

"They stopped, but only to beset me with questions till the whole truth
came out. I could not have committed a worse folly than thus taking them
into my confidence. Instantly the advantages to be gained by using my
secret connection with so wealthy a man for the purpose of cowering me
and blackmailing him, seemed to strike both their minds at once, slow
as they usually are to receive impressions. The silver-closet and
money-safe sank to a comparatively insignificant position in their eyes,
and to get me out of the house, and with my happiness at stake, treat
with the honorable man who notwithstanding his non-approval of me as a
woman, still regarded me as his lawfully wedded wife, became in their
eyes a thing of such wonderful promise they were willing to run any and
every risk to test its value. But here to their great astonishment
I rebelled; astonishment because they could not realize my desiring
anything above money and the position to which they declared I was by
law entitled. In vain I pleaded my love; in vain I threatened exposure
of their plans if not whereabouts. The mine of gold which they fondly
believed they had stumbled upon unawares, promised too richly to be
easily abandoned. 'You must go with us,' said they, 'if not peaceably
then by force,' and they actually advanced upon me, upsetting a chair
and tearing down one of the curtains to which I clung. It was then I
committed that little act concerning which you questioned me. I wanted
to show them I was not to be moved by threats of that character; that I
did not even fear the shedding of my blood; and that they would only be
wasting their time in trying to sway me by hints of personal violence.
And they were a little impressed, sufficiently so at least to turn their
threats in another direction, awakening fears at last which I could not
conceal, much as I felt it would be policy to do so. Gathering up a few
articles I most prized, my wedding ring, Mr. Blake, and a photograph of
yourself that Mrs. Daniels had been kind enough to give me, I put on my
bonnet and cloak and said I would go with them, since they per