"My dear, she has her money. He writes me that sometime since he sold out the stocks by her orders. She was doubtless preparing to leave the country with that man." Elsie fell back on the sofa overwhelmed by the new fear which came over her. The money had been paid; but where was Elizabeth? What to do--how to act! Before the whirl had left her brain there was a sound at the door of the little passage already described. "What is that?" exclaimed Mellen. "Some one trying that door." "No, no," she cried. "Come back; it's nothing; I'm afraid; come back!" He gave no attention to her cry, but hurried towards the door, while she was attempting to rise from the sofa; he had it open, Elsie heard a muttered curse, an answering imprecation from another voice, looked out, saw the outer door ajar and a man just entering the passage with whom Mellen closed instantly in a fearful struggle. That one glance had been enough; she knew the man; then it was her insane shriek rang through the house. Mellen forced Ford into the room, flung him against the wall, locked the door, and exclaimed in a terrible voice: "At last! at last!" A bell rang at the front entrance, but no one in that room heeded it. Mellen sprang towards the man again, but he cried out savagely: "Keep off, if you value your life, keep off." "One of us dies here!" cried Mellen. "William Ford, one of us dies here!" After that long shriek Elsie had fallen back helpless; she had not fainted, but a sort of cateleptic rigor locked her limbs; there she lay without voice or power of motion, listening to their words, which seemed to come through blocks of ice. "I did not expect to meet you here," said Ford, calling up a sudden audacity. "It's an honor I did not wish." "I know who you expected to see; but the woman is gone; you must seek her elsewhere!" "Then you have driven her to destruction at last. I tell you, sir, we are a pack of cowards hunting down an angel. You and I and that pretty imp of satan. I came to tell you this: bad as I am, her goodness has touched me with human feelings. If she is here and alive, justice shall be done her, and for once the truth shall be spoken under this roof. That woman has bribed me to shield another through her. Soul and body she has been made a sacrifice. There is danger to me here. This bit of goodness may bring ruin upon me, but I cannot leave the country forever, and know that she is being ground to dust under your heel; while that other flimsy coward crowds her from hearth and home. For once, Grantley Mellen, you shall be forced to hear the truth and believe it." "The truth from you!" exclaimed Mellen, with unutterable scorn, "that or anything else from so vile a source I reject--go, sir, we are not alone!" Ford, or North, glanced towards the sofa; recognised Elsie lying there, and turned again towards Mellen.