"I see it now!" she cried hoarsely, "I see it now! Oh, the wretch, the wretch! Only let me find him again!" "Mary!" I cried, "what is it?" "I see it all now!" she cried again. "Then I was right. She come--she come here, and poisoned him with her soft looks and ways, and he's left me--to go away with her to-night!" Mary made a clutch at vacancy; and then, tottering, would have fallen, had not Hallett been close at hand to catch her and help her to the couch, where the poor woman lay perfectly insensible, having fainted for probably the first time in her life. "What does she mean?" cried Hallett, as he made, with me, ineffectual efforts to restore her. "She was angry and jealous the night she came and found Linny here attending on Revitts," I cried in a bewildered way, hardly knowing what I said. "And now she thinks, because he has left her to-night, that he has gone away with Linny." "Poor fool?" he said sadly. "Revitts was very strange to-day," I said, "and--and--and, Hallett--oh, forgive me," I said, "I've kept something from you." "What!" he cried, catching me so fiercely by the arm that he caused me acute pain. "Don't tell me that I have been deceived, too, in you!" "No, Hallett, I haven't deceived you," I said. "I kept something back that I ought to have told you." "You kept something back!" he cried. "Speak--speak at once, Antony, or--or--speak, boy; I'm not master of myself!" "Linny begged me so hard not to tell you, and I consented, on condition that she would mind what you said." "Then--then you knew that she was carrying on with this man," he cried savagely, neither of us seeing that Mary had come to, and was watching us with distended eyes. "No, no, Hallett," I cried. "I did not--indeed, I did not; I only knew it was he who so beat poor Revitts." "Who was he--what's his name?" cried Mary, seizing my other arm, and shaking it. "I don't know; I never knew," I cried, faring badly between them. "Linny begged me, on her knees, not to tell that it was her friend who beat Revitts when he interfered, and when she promised me she would always obey you, Hallett, I said I would keep her secret." "Then Linny was the girl poor Revitts saved," said Hallett hoarsely. "Yes!" cried Mary. "The villain! he likes her pretty face. I was right; and I've been a fool to faint and go on. But that's over now," she cried savagely. "I'll wait here till he does come back; for I'm his lawful wife; and when he does come--Oh!" Mary uttered that "Oh!" through her closed teeth, and all the revenge that was in her nature seemed to come to the surface, while Hallett walked up and down the room. "You have no idea, Antony, who he is?" "No, on my word, Hallett," I cried; "I never knew. Pray forgive me! I thought it was for the best."