"'Away!' cried I, turning aside; 'I will not stain my hands with the blood of my kin. Go! the world is large enough to hold us both.'
"'Coward!' hissed he; 'take that, then, and bear what I have borne;' and with the palm of his hand he smote me on the cheek.
"I could bear no more—I was no longer myself—I was maddened with passion—and snatching a pistol from his hand, which was still extended toward me, without scarcely knowing what I did, I exclaimed, 'Your blood be on your own head!'—and—and—Oh, Heaven!—pardon me, Ella—I—shot him through the body."
Ella, who had partly risen from her seat, and was listening with breathless attention, now uttered an exclamation of horror, and sunk back, with features ghastly pale; while the other, burying his face in his hands, shook his whole frame with convulsive sobs. For some time neither spoke; and then the young man, slowly raising his face, which was now a sad spectacle of the workings of grief and remorse, again proceeded:
"Horror-stricken—aghast at what I had done—I stood for a moment, gazing upon him weltering in his blood, with eyes that burned and seemed starting from their sockets—with feelings that are indescribable—and then rushing to him, I endeavored to raise him, and learn the extent of his injury.
"'Fly!' said he, faintly, as I bent over him—'fly for your life! I have got my due—I am mortally wounded—and if you remain, you will surely be arrested as my murderer. Farewell, Algernon—the fault was mine—but this you can not prove; and so leave me—leave me while you have opportunity.'
"His words were true; I felt them in force; if he died, I would be arraigned as his murderer—I had no proof to the contrary—circumstances would be against me—I should be imprisoned—condemned—perhaps executed—a loathsome sight for gaping thousands—I could not bear the thought—I might escape—ay, would escape—and bidding him a hasty farewell, I turned and fled. Not a hundred rods distant I met my father; and falling on my knees before him, I hurriedly related what had taken place, and begged advice for myself, and his immediate attendance upon my cousin. He turned pale and trembled violently at my narration; and, as I concluded, drew forth a purse of gold, which he chanced to have with him, and placing it in my hand, exclaimed:
"'Fly—son—child—Algernon—for Heaven's sake, fly!'
"'Whither, father?'
"'To the far western wilds, beyond the reach of civilization—at least beyond the reach of justice—and spare my old eyes the awful sight of seeing a beloved son arraigned as a criminal!'