aused impressively. "What's the use of
going back? Don't you know things look beastly black for you?"

"Perhaps, but I am not afraid--now. I am not guilty, Mr. Styles."

"Of course not! Of course not! I knew that from the start. But
things do look black, no use of talking. I want to help you." He came
closer, at which she retreated a step.

"Thank you, but I do not see what you can do. I must go back and give
myself up. I--I was not myself when I ran away. It was a very foolish
thing to do."

"If you go back, do you know what they will do? They will surely hang
you?"

"Oh, merciful Heaven? Do not say that!"

"I wouldn't if it wasn't so. But I've been talking to the coroner and
the chief of police, and they have all of the evidence as straight as a
string."

"I am innocent."

"I feel that you are, and that is why I side with you. Besides, you
know my feeling for you. I've loved you for a long time--I told you so
before." He took hold of her arm. "If you'll do what I wish, I'll see
to it that you escape--that you are never bothered any more."

"How can you do that?"

"Never mind how it can be done. Promise to give up Case, and be my
wife, and I will attend to all of the rest. And I'll promise you more
than that. Listen, do you know that I am immensely wealthy? It is so,
and I can easily prove it. Look here." He drew a big roll of bank
bills from his pocket, each bill of a large denomination. "I have ten
thousand dollars here. It shall be yours for the taking--if you will
marry me. I can easily raise five times this amount in forty-eight
hours. We can go to Europe, or Australia, or anywhere we wish. Isn't
that far better than to stay here, to be hung by a lot of country
bumpkins, who don't understand the matter at all?"

She put up her hands, and waved him away. Then she burst into tears.

"Don't speak so, please don't! I--I cannot bear it, I have gone
through so much already!"

"Won't you listen to reason?" Matlock Styles' face darkened. "I am
giving you everything I have, my wealth, my honor, everything! Can a
man do more than that? I love you--love you more than Raymond Case
ever did, or will."

She wrung her hands and his dark eyes seemed to pierce her very soul.
She felt faint and sank on a bench.

"Come, will you accept, Margaret?"

"No, no, I cannot!"

"But think of what is before you."

"If I tried to escape, they would soon be on my track--"

"No, I can