“When I heard her talking so anxiously about sending you that letter, it made me wild, for I believed she was in love with you, and the jealous devil in my nature prompted me to take her life. As soon as the maid left the scene, I rushed upon Annette, uttered some wild words, and fired straight at her tender young heart.”
“And you would have killed her but for the steel of her stays that turned aside the bullet,” added Dallas.
“Thank God for that! Thank God that in my frenzy I was spared the crime of murder! Oh, Heaven! To think how true, and sweet, and noble she is, and that I have lost her forever!” groaned Dering.
Dallas could not help but pity him in his wild remorse, so he said:
“Perhaps she will make it up with you, since she has shown such a forgiving spirit toward you. Shall I write to her for you?”
“Ah, Dallas Bain, you are heaping coals of fire on my head! You who have been so good to me, who rescued me from that awful wreck, who have so faithfully cared for me since. You do not guess what a fiend I have been, and that—I tried also to murder you!”
“What!”
“Yes, I will confess all, and throw myself on your mercy. I thought you had won Annette from me, and I swore to her I would kill you also. It was my guilty hand that fired the shot that laid Royall Sherwood low—but I thought it was you, Dallas Bain. I had followed you to Sea View, but my brain was dulled with liquor, and I missed you somehow when you went away. Then I thought I saw you walking in the grounds with Annette, as I thought, and I fired recklessly, and escaped. Well, the man is not dead yet, but if he dies I am his murderer, and you may denounce me if you choose, for my life, by reason of my mistakes and crimes, has become almost too great a burden to be borne.”
CHAPTER XXV.
MORE CRUEL THAN DEATH.
Dallas Bain was shocked into momentary silence by the revelation just made to him.