Mrs. Willoughby paused. The man was mad, but the ground was so dangerous! Yes, she must humor him. She felt his hot kisses on her hand. "You _will_--you _will_ love me, will you not?" he repeated. "Oh, answer me! Answer me, or I shall die!" "Yes," whispered Mrs. Willoughby, faintly. As she said this a cold chill passed through her. But it was too late. Dacres's arms were around her. He had drawn her to him, and pressed her against his breast, and she felt hot tears upon her head. "Oh, Arethusa!" cried Dacres. "Well," said Mrs. Willoughby, as soon as she could extricate herself, "there's a mistake, you know." "A mistake, darling?" "Oh dear, what _shall_ I do?" thought Mrs. Willoughby; "he's beginning again. I must stop this, and bring him to his senses. How terrible it is to humor a delirious man!" "Oh, Arethusa!" sighed Dacres once more. Mrs. Willoughby arose. "I'm not Arethusa at all," said she; "that isn't my name. If you _can_ shake off your delirium, I wish you would. I really do." "What!" cried Dacres, in amazement. "I'm not Arethusa at all; that isn't my name." "Not your name?" "No; my name's Kitty." "Kitty!" cried Dacres, starting to his feet. At that instant the report of a gun burst upon their ears, followed by another and another; then there were wild calls and loud shouts. Other guns were heard. Yet amidst all this wild alarm there was nothing which had so tremendous an effect upon Dacres as this last remark of Mrs. Willoughby's. [Illustration: "THE PRIEST FLUNG HIMSELF FORWARD."] CHAPTER XXXIV. THE CRISIS OF LIFE. When the Irish priest conjectured that it was about two o'clock in the morning he was not very far astray in his calculation. The short remarks that were exchanged between him and Ethel, and afterward between him and the men, were followed by a profound silence. Ethel sat by the side of the priest, with her head bent forward and her eyes closed as though she were asleep; yet sleep was farther from her than ever it had been, and the thrilling events of the night afforded sufficient material to keep her awake for many a long hour yet to come. Her mind was now filled with a thousand conflicting and most exciting fancies, in the midst of which she might again have sunk into despair had she not been sustained by the assurance of the priest.