r-off God, I cannot make him
Understand! And unless I can make him understand, I am lost!
My misery, my misery! He will not listen. I am dying of this
thing!

Now did Shooba's Death-in-Life come upon him once more, and
for a day and a night he lay Stark. And in the Sleep his
Snake came and show'd him the untying of the Knot, and the
Turning of the Keye. In proof whereof Shooba took me by the
hand & Show'd me the Watcher in the Darke.

"Do but one thing more for me, old Shooba: Put out the Fire
in my Brain, Shooba, for I would Sleep. And I would Sleep
here, in Secret, where none but the Watcher may see."

For a while he ponder'd, Watching of me with still eyes.

"Not good to stay awake too long. You shall Sleep," he said.

Last night he Brought me the Pinch of Powder that is an Open
Door. To what? I know not. But I go without Fear, because
without Hope. So shall I sleep in the secret Chamber, and it
maybe I shall Dream that Richard lightly Lov'd and as
lightly Left me. Whereof Richard Died. And, that Freeman
thinks his Brother Guilty and a Thief: A Hynds a Thief! so
that Hynds House hangs Heavy above his head. And that Emily
begins to Hate Freeman, who Loves her. She thinks he hath
play'd Judas. I shall have Pleasant dreams!

Never shall they Find where Shooba hid the Gems, between a
night and a morning. Never shall any look upon my face more,
nor read what I have written, nor know what I have done. I
repent not, O God! What I am I am, Not I but Thou hast
created me! Having liv'd mine own Life, I do die mine Own
Death.

JESSAMINE HYNDS.

"This is the Horror that we have--felt!" I babbled. "She's been
sitting here--by herself--all the time--" and my voice failed me,
remembering that dark and anguished sense of guilt and ruin, of
unease and terror, that at times fell upon one in the night like a
smothering garment. Cold drops came upon my forehead, when I
reflected that we had been living under the same roof with This, and
we all unknowing. And I began to whimper: "I cannot stay even one
night more under the same roof with her. I cannot! I cannot!"

"Sophy," said Nicholas Jelnik's quiet voice, "I brought you here
because I relied upon your courage, your common sense, and your
charity."

I gulped. In the most matter-of-fact manner,