She did not answer. He considered for a moment and then dimly saw that she was right. "Iver," she said in a low tone, so that Jonas might not hear, "you should not have followed me; then this would never have happened." "If I had not followed you he would have been your murderer, Matabel." Then, reluctantly, he went. But ever and anon turned to listen or to look. When he was out of sight, then Mehetabel said to her husband, "Lean on me, and let me help you along." "I can go by myself," he said bitterly. "I would not have his arm. I will have none of yours. Give me my gun." "No, Jonas, I will carry that for you." Then he put forth his uninjured right hand, and took the kidney-iron stone from the anvil block, on which Mehetabel had left it. "What do you want with that?" she asked. "I may have to knock also," he answered. "Is it you alone who are allowed to have wishes?" She said no more, but stepped along, not swiftly, cautiously, and turning at every step, to see that he was following, and that he had put his foot on substance that would support his weight. "Why do you look at me?" he asked captiously. "Jonas, you are in pain, and giddy with pain. You may lose your footing, and go into the water." "So--that now is your desire?" "I pray you," she answered, in distress, "Jonas, do not entertain such evil thoughts." They attained a ridge of sand. She fell back and paced at his side. Bideabout observed her out of the corners of his eyes. By the moonlight he could see how finely, nobly cut was her profile; he could see the glancing of the moon in the tears that suffused her cheeks. "You know who shot me?" he inquired, in a low tone. "I know nothing, Jonas, but that there was a struggle, and that during this struggle, by accident--" "You did it." "No, Jonas. I cannot think it." "It was so. You touched the trigger. You knew that the piece was on full cock." "It was altogether an accident. I knew nothing. I was conscious of nothing, save that I was trying to prevent you from committing a great crime." "A great crime!" jeered he. "You thought only how you might save the life of your love." Mehetabel stood still and turned to him. "Jonas, do not say that. You cruelly, you wrongfully misjudge me I will tell you all, if you will I never would have hidden anything from you if I had not known how you would take and use what I said. Iver and I were child friends, almost brother and sister. I always cared for him, and I think he liked me. He went away and I saw nothing of him. Then, at our wedding, he returned home; and since then I have seen him a good many times--you, yourself asked him to the Punch-Bowl, and bade me stand for him to paint. I cannot deny that I care for him, and that he likes me." "As brother and sister?"