"But it was," said Rachel. "I remember the question. I did not know how to answer it. I could not tell them I had seen him dead but fancied him only asleep; that they would never have believed. So I told the simple truth. But it upset me dreadfully." "That I saw. You expected cross-examination." "Yes; and I did not know whether to stick to the truth or to lie!" "I can read people sometimes," Steel continued after a pause. "I guessed your difficulty. Surely you must see the only conceivable inference?" "I did see it." "And, seeing, do you not forgive?" "Yes, that. But you married me while you still thought me guilty. I forgive you for denying it at the time. I suppose that was necessary. But you have not yet told me why you did it." "Honestly, Rachel, it was largely fascination--" "But not primarily." "No." "Then let me hear the prime motive at last, for I am tired of trying to guess it!" Steel stood before his wife as he had never stood before her yet, his white head bowed, his dark eyes lowered, hands clasped, shoulders bent, the suppliant and the penitent in one. "I did it to punish you," he said. "I thought some one must--I felt I could have hanged you if I had spoken out what I had seen--and I--married you instead!" His eyes were on the ground. When he raised them she was smiling through unshed tears. But she had spoken first. "It was not a very terrible motive, after all," she had said; "at least, it has not been such a very terrible--punishment!" "No; but that was because I did the very last thing I ever thought of doing." "And that was?" "To fall in love with you at the beginning!" Rachel gave a little start. "Although you thought me guilty?" "That made no difference at all. But I have thought it less and less, until, on the night you appealed first to me and then to Langholm--on thinking over that night--it was impossible to suppose it any more." Rachel rose, her cheeks divinely red, her lip trembling, her hand outstretched. "And you fell in love with me!" she murmured. "God knows I did, Rachel, in my own way," said Steel. "I am so glad!" whispered his wife. THE END End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Shadow of the Rope, by E. W. Hornung