"Think!" he cried, with a furious, mocking laugh. "Yes, I think all women are alike--a curse to the man who is idiot enough to believe." She drew a long, sobbing breath as she shrank from him now, the words of explanation which had leaped to her lips checked on the instant by the shame and indignation with which she was filled; and the next moment she was like stone in her despair. "I am sorry that I returned so soon," he said, in a bitter, sneering tone; "but I have some respect for the poor old Major--even now. Come back." She did not speak, but he could hear her breath come in a short, quick, catching way. "You hear me?" he said harshly. "Come back to your father now; but don't speak to me, or the mad feeling may rise again. I cannot answer for myself." "Take me home," she said, in tones that he did not recognise as hers, and once more the furious rage within him flashed up like fire, as in his wild, jealous indignation he cried-- "And him of all men. Quick! Back to the cottage first." He caught her wrist now so fiercely that the pain was almost unbearable, but she did not shrink. The suffering seemed to clear her brain, and in a flash she saw a horror that made her tremble. "Clive," she cried excitedly, "what are you going to do?" He laughed bitterly. "Perhaps what you think," he said. "Likely enough. What should the man do to one who robs him twice. Why not? There is not room for two such brothers upon earth." She panted to speak, but no words came for a time, as with her wrist prisoned with a grasp of iron, she let him lead her back toward the cottage half a mile away--out now from the rock cutting, to where the stars shone down upon them with their calm, peaceful glimmer, as if there were no such thing as human passion upon earth. At last she spoke. "Clive, you will not hear me," she pleaded now, as her womanly indignation was swept away by the great horror she saw looming up before her. "No," he said, "I will not hear you. I know enough. Are you trembling for your lover's life?" "Oh!" she ejaculated, and she made an effort to snatch away her wrist; but the ring around it grew tighter as they walked on now in silence, till in her dread, as the icy perspiration gathered upon her forehead, she stopped short and faced him. "I would not speak," she said, in a low hurried voice. "You should go on thinking me everything that was false and bad. I would not say a word to show how you are misjudging me." He laughed scornfully. "But I will not have you go in your mad anger and ignorance to commit some act for which you would repent to your dying day." "Only a short time of suffering, perhaps," he said mockingly. "Oh, Clive! you of all men to misjudge me so," she moaned. "Let me tell you all." "Hah!" he ejaculated, as he fiercely swung her round and continued his walk, half dragging her beside him as if she were a prisoner.