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renew it without my consent。 You tell me I don't love you； and I
tell you now that we must part； that frightened as I was； foolish
as I was； that day was the first day I had ever lived and felt as
other women live and feel。 If I ran away from you then it was
because I was running away from my old self too。 Don't you
understand me？ Could you not have trusted me as I trusted you？〃
〃I broke my promise only when you broke yours。 When you would not
meet me I followed you here； because I loved you。〃
〃And that is why you must leave me now；〃 she said； starting from
his outstretched arms again。 〃Do not ask me why； but go； I implore
you。 You must leave this town to…night； to…morrow will be too
late。〃
He cast a hurried glance around him； as if seeking to gather
some reason for this mysterious haste； or a clue for future
identification。 He saw only the Sabbath…sealed cupboards； the cold
white china on the dresser； and the flicker of the candle on the
partly…opened glass transom above the door。 〃As you wish；〃 he
said； with quiet sadness。 〃I will go now； and leave the town to…
night； but〃his voice struck its old imperative note〃this shall
not end here； Lulu。 There will be a next time； and I am bound to
win you yet； in spite of all and everything。〃
She looked at him with a half…frightened； half…hysterical light in
her eyes。 〃God knows！〃
〃And you will be frank with me then； and tell me all？〃
〃Yes； yes； another time； but go now。〃 She had extinguished the
candle； turned the handle of the door noiselessly； and was holding
it open。 A faint light stole through the dark passage。 She drew
back hastily。 〃You have left the front door open；〃 she said in a
frightened voice。 〃I thought you had shut it behind me；〃 he
returned quickly。 〃Good night。〃 He drew her towards him。 She
resisted slightly。 They were for an instant clasped in a
passionate embrace； then there was a sudden collapse of the light
and a dull jar。 The front door had swung to。
With a desperate bound she darted into the passage and through the
hall； dragging him by the hand； and threw the front door open。
Without； the street was silent and empty。
〃Go；〃 she whispered frantically。
Demorest passed quickly down the steps and disappeared。 At the
same moment a voice came from the banisters of the landing above。
〃Who's there？〃
〃It's I； mother。〃
〃I thought so。 And it's like Edward to bring you and sneak off in
that fashion。〃
Mrs。 Blandford gave a quick sigh of relief。 Demorest's flight had
been mistaken for her husband's habitual evasion。 Knowing that her
mother would not refer to the subject again； she did not reply； but
slowly mounted the dark staircase with an assumption of more than
usual hesitating precaution； in order to recover her equanimity。
The clocks were striking eleven when she left her mother's house
and re…entered her own。 She was surprised to find a light burning
in the kitchen； and Ezekiel； their hired man； awaiting her in a
dominant and nasal key of religious and practical disapprobation。
〃Pity you wern't tu hum afore； ma'am； considerin' the doins that's
goin' on in perfessed Christians' houses arter meetin' on the
Sabbath Day。〃
〃What's the difficulty now； Ezekiel？〃 said Mrs。 Blandford； who had
regained her rigorous precision once more under the decorous
security of her own roof。
〃Wa'al； here comes an entire stranger axin for Squire Blandford。
And when I tells he warn't tu hum〃
〃Not at home？〃 interrupted Mrs。 Blandford； with a slight start。 〃I
left him here。〃
〃Mebbee so； but folks nowadays don't 'pear to keer much whether
they break the Sabbath or not； trapsen' raound town in and arter
meetin' hours； ez if 'twor gin'ral tranin' dayand hez gone out
agin。〃
〃Go on；〃 said Mrs。 Blandford； curtly。
〃Wa'al； the stranger sez； sez he； 'Show me the way to the stables；'
sez he； and without taken' no for an answer； ups and meanders
through the hall； outer the kitchen inter the yard； ez if he was
justice of the peace； and when he gets there he sez； 'Fetch out his
hoss and harness up； and be blamed quick about it； and tell Ned
Blandford that Dick Demorest hez got to leave town to…night； and ez
ther ain't a blamed puritanical shadbelly in this hull town ez
would let a hoss go on hire Sunday night； he guesses he'll hev to
borry his。' And afore I could say Jack Robinson； he tackles the
hoss up and drives outer the yard； flinging this two…dollar…and…a…
half…piece behind him ez if I wur a Virginia slave and he was John
C。 Calhoun hisself。 I'd a chucked it after him if it hadn't been
the Lord's Day； and it mout hev provoked disturbance。〃
〃Mr。 Demorest is worldly； but one of Edward's old friends；〃 said
Mrs。 Blandford； with a slight kindling of her eyes； 〃and he would
not have refused to aid him in what might be an errand of grace or
necessity。 You can keep the money； Ezekiel； as a gift； not as a
wage。 And go to bed。 I will sit up for Mr。 Blandford。〃
She passed out and up the staircase into her bedroom； pausing on
her way to glance into the empty back parlor and take the lamp from
the table。 Here she noticed that her husband had evidently changed
his clothes again and taken a heavier overcoat from the closet。
Removing her own wraps she again descended to the lower apartment；
brought out the volume of sermons； placed it and the lamp in the
old position； and with her abstracted eyes on the page fell into
her former attitude。 Every suggestion of the passionate； half…
frenzied woman in the kitchen of the house only four doors away；
had vanished； one would scarcely believe she had ever stirred from
the chair in which she had formally received her husband two hours
before。 And yet she was thinking of herself and Demorest in that
kitchen。
His prompt and decisive response to her appeal； as shown in this
last bold and characteristic action； relieved； while it half piqued
her。 But the overruling destiny which had enabled her to bring him
from his hotel to her mother's house unnoticed； had protected them
while there； had arrested a dangerous meeting between him and
herself and her husband in her own house； impressed her more than
all。 It imparted to her a hideous tranquillity born of the
doctrines of her youthPredestination！ She reflected with secret
exultation that her moral resolution to fly from him and her
conscientiously broken promise had been the direct means of
bringing him there； that step by step circumstances not in
themselves evil or to be combated had led her along； that even her
husband and mother had felt it their duty to assist towards this
fateful climax！ If Edward had never kept up his worldly
friendship； if she had never been restricted and compassed in her
own； if she had ever known the freedom of other girls；all this
might not have happened。 She had been elected to share with
Demorest and her husband the effects of their ungodliness。 She
was no longer a free agent； what availed her resolutions？ To
Demorest's imperious hope； she had said； 〃God knows。〃 What more
could she say？ Her small red lips grew white and compressed； her
face rigid； her eyes hollow and abstracted； she looked like the
geni