Some smile and sing at the chimes, some shiver and groan. Next--arguments, entreaties to be released. He will be so good to her, O, so good, if she will only release him! One o'clock. Next--more love-making and coaxing, then threats, passionate reproaches, defiance. Ah, it has come to that--the end is near! Two o'clock. He stabs her, quick and sudden, to the heart? Hark! do you hear the wild scream? Her body is dead, and her soul--? But that and other mysteries remain to be unravelled--which may be--Never!'" CHAPTER XV. FANNY DESCRIBES HOW SHE MADE UP HER MIND WHAT TO DO WITH LEMON. "Devlin put down the newspaper, and waited for me to speak. I think, sir, I've told you egsactly what he said, and as fur as possible in his own words. They are so printed on my mind that I couldn't forgit 'em if I tried ever so hard. As he described what had took place it was as if he was painting pictures, and he made me see 'em. I saw the poor girl's home; I saw her setting with her father and mother in jest sech a little room as this--for they are only humble people, sir; I saw her kiss 'em good-night; I saw her in her bedroom a-doing herself up before the looking-glass; I saw her put the bunch of white daisies in her belt; I saw her steal out of the house to the park; I saw the man and her walking about among the trees, and sometimes setting down to talk; I heard a scream--another!--another!--and I covered my eyes with my hands to shut it all out. I was so overcome that I hadn't strength to wrench myself away from Devlin, who was smoothing my hair with his hands. But presently I managed to scream: "'Don't touch me! Don't touch me, you--you----' "'You what?' asked Devlin in his false voice, moving a little away from my chair. "My scream, and him speaking agin, brought me to myself. "'Never mind, never mind,' I said. 'If you know what I'm thinking about, it's no use my telling you.' "'I do know,' he said. 'Why, it's wrote on your face. And I know, too, that you want to ask me some questions. Fire away.' "'Mr. Devlin, I said, upon that, 'you slep at home last night, didn't you?' "'Certainly, I did,' he answered. 'Don't you remember Lemon and me coming in together?' "'Yes,' I said, 'I remember.' "'Don't you remember,' he said, 'that you brought me up a cup of tea before you went to bed, and that I told you I had a lot of writing to do, and that I said what a treasure you was, and how happy Lemon ought to be with sech a wife?' "'Yes,' I said, 'I remember.' I couldn't say nothing else, it was the truth. "'Inspired by the egsellent tea you make,' he went on, 'I stopped up late and did my writing. If I mistake not, you put the chain on the street-door before you went to bed.' "'Yes, I did.' "'And when you went down this morning the chain was still up?' "'Yes, it was.' "'And I breakfasted with you and Lemon?' "'Yes, you did.' "'And I presume you made my bed some time during the day?' "'Of course I did.'