"'Yes,' said I, drawing my breath with difficulty, 'but a fallen one.'
"He groaned aloud. 'Oh, God forgive me that I should have made her suffer!'
"I was beside myself as he thus dared to avow his love, and I ordered him to stand, or I could not restrain myself. He stood around facing the sun. Even in my rage, I would not take advantage of this, but pointed to him to change his position.
"'No,' said he, 'I neither deserve nor wish to live. Fire, Harry,' he continued, as I paused. 'I never will raise my hand against one I have treated so treacherously!'
"'Ralph,' I exclaimed, 'You dare not refuse to give me satisfaction.'
"Without another word, he placed the pistol to his own breast, when, with a spring into the air, he fell heavily to the ground. He had taken his own life.
"I flew to him, and raised him in my arms. All my revenge was oozing out with the blood which poured from his death wound.
"'Oh, Harry,' he said faintly, 'tell me before I die that you will forgive Imogen. She is innocent. She never knew till yesterday that I loved her, and then she implored me to leave her at once. She said her heart was all yours.'
"I gasped for breath. 'Ralph,' I shouted, 'say again that she is innocent, and I will willingly lie down beside you and die.'