"Silence!" he whispered angrily, "I came to you, my sister, for help. No, no, dear, I'm not cross; but you talk like a woman. The dear old dad would forgive me, God bless him! I know he would, just as you have, and fall on my neck and kiss me as--as--as--Ah! Lou, Lou, Lou, my girl," he cried, fighting against his emotion, "the law will not be like your love. You must help me to escape, at all events for a time." "And may I tell him where you are gone--my father and Maddy?" "Hush!" he cried, in so wild and strange a voice that she shrank from him. "Do you want to unman me when I have planned my future, and then see me handcuffed and taken to gaol? No; Harry Vine is dead. Some day another man will come and ask the forgiveness he needs." "Harry!" "But not this shivering, cowardly cur--a man, a true blameless man, whom it will take years to make. Now, then, once more, will you help me, and keep my secret?" Louise was silent for a few moments. "Well, never mind, you must keep my secret, for after I am gone if you said you had seen me, people would tell you that you were mad." "I will help you, Harry, and keep your secret, dear--even," she added to herself, "if it breaks my heart." "That's right. We've wasted too much time in talking as it is, and--" "But Harry--Madelaine--she loves you." He wrested himself from her violently, and stood with his hands pressed to his head. A few moments before he had been firm and determined, but the agonised thought of Madelaine and of giving her up for ever had ended the fictitious strength which had enabled him to go so far. It was the result of his long agony shut up in that cave; and though he struggled hard he could do no more, but completely unnerved, trembling violently, and glancing wildly from time to time at the door and window, he sank at his sister's feet and clutched her knees. "Harry, Harry!" she whispered--she, the stronger now--"for Heaven's sake don't give way like that." "It's all over now. I'm dead beat; I can do no more." "Then let me go for father; let me fetch him from Van Heldre's." "Yes," he moaned; "and while you are gone I'll go down to the end of the point and jump in. This time I shall be too weak to swim." "Harry, don't talk like that!" she cried, embracing him, as she saw with horror the pitiable, trembling state in which he was. "I can't help it," he whispered as he clung to her now like a frightened child, and looked wildly at the door. "You don't know what I've suffered, buried alive like, in that cave, and expecting the sea to come in and drown me. It has been one long horror." "But, Harry, dear, you are safe now." "Safe?" he groaned; "yes, to be taken by the first policeman I meet, and locked up in gaol." "But, Harry!" she cried, his agitation growing contagious, "I have promised. I will help you now. I'll keep it a secret, if you think it best, dear. Harry, for Heaven's sake be a man."