“Do you mean what you say?” “I do.” “You do not intend to attempt my rescue?” “I do not.” “You have changed your mind?” “I have.” “For some reason?” “Yes.” “What?” “Well, I see no need of it.” “You do not?” “I do not.” “You have thought of the consequences?” “I have.” “You know that if I am not rescued I will only die upon the gallows?” “Oh, yes.” “Still you refuse?” “I do.” “You are aware of my threat?” “To expose me?” “Yes.” “To tell every one that you are my husband?” “Yes. It will disgrace you.” “Oh, yes, in one sense of the word.” “And you do not care?” “Well, not so much as I did.” “You are willing to be considered the wife of the outlaw, Silk Lasso Sam?” “No, I am not willing.” “What then?” “I cannot help myself.” “Then rescue me.” “I cannot.” “Then I shall keep my threat.” “All right.” “You seem indifferent?” “I am not indifferent; but I shall, when I see that there is no help for it, go to Colonel Dunwoody with Lieutenant-Colonel De Sutro and his wife and tell him the truth.” “You dare not.” “Oh, yes, I dare. I shall have as witnesses Major and Mrs. Lester, Clarice Carr, Captain Caruth, Surgeon Frank Powell, Lieutenant Turpin, and Buffalo Bill. I will tell my story as it was, Colonel De Sutro and his wife will vouch for it, and I will not only have the sympathy of all, but will be a heroine as well.” “You will be disgraced.” “No, for your sins will not be visited upon my head, and when you tell the story on the gallows, my prior confession will have taken the sting from it.” “I do not believe you will do it!” “Then you do not know me.” “I cannot believe it. Then you would see me die?” “You deserve death most certainly.” “Are you to be my judge?” “Oh, no, you already have been judged and condemned.” “And my death will be upon your head, for you could save me if you would.” “I did not cause your capture.” “That is not the question.” “What is?” “You would sacrifice me when you could save me.” “Let me tell you, Arden, for I believe that is your name, unless your sister is also sailing under false colors, that you sacrificed me without mercy, and would have been glad to have had me put an end to my life in my despair, or have gone utterly to the bad. It took me a long time to turn my love for you into the bitter hatred I feel for you now, and I will tell you the truth when I say that upon the night following the day of your death upon the gallows I will sleep as serenely as an infant, far more so than I would if you had escaped, and I expected you to appear again in my life to work me evil.” “Woman, you are a beautiful devil.” “Thanks for the compliment, for it is not many who can be a devil and beautiful as well.” “You will not rest so easy as you say, for I swear that I will haunt you.” The woman laughed. “Ah! but I will haunt you, Nina de Sutro, until I drive you to despair, to madness, to death.”