This placed her in another light before me, and I started back.
“You have——” I stammered.
“Placed that ring three times on the hand in Dr. Merriam’s office.”
“And each time?”
“A man somewhere in this nation has died suddenly. I do not know by what means or by whose hand, but he died.”
This beautiful creature guilty of—— I tried not to show my horror.
“It is, then, a question of choice between you and him?” said I. “Either you or he must perish. Both cannot be saved.”
She recoiled, turning very pale, and for several minutes stood surveying me with a fixed gaze as if overcome by an idea which threw so immense a responsibility upon her. As she stood thus, I seemed not only to look into her nature, but her life. I saw the fanaticism that that had once held every good impulse in check, the mistaken devotion, the unreasoning hatred, and, underneath all, a spirit of truth and rectitude which brightened and brightened as I watched her, till it dominated every evil passion and made her next words come easily, and with a natural burst of conviction which showed the innate generosity of her soul.
“You have shown me my duty, sir. There can be no question as to where the choice should fall, I am not worth one hair of his noble head. Save him, sir; I will help you by every means in my power.”
Seizing the opportunity she thus gave me, I asked her the name of the man who was threatened.