"It's the only one," he said grimly.
She walked over to the window and looked down into the area-way. Her
heart was throbbing loudly.
"To-night?" she asked in muffled tones.
"If I don't do it to-night I'll do something worse to-morrow," he
said.
"You promise me,--on your word of honor?"
He started. "Certainly. I'll do it."
She turned to face him, her back to the light. He could not see the
expression in her eyes.
"You will do this for me, Tom?"
He nodded his head, that was all.
"Take your own life?"
"I was going to do it anyway. Before they could hang me."
Both were silent for a long time. Neither had changed position.
"You won't tell Christine that I did it, will you? Just say that I
went away--to South America, I guess."
"I will not tell her, Tom."
"Is she going to marry David Jenison?"
"I hope so."
"Well, she'll feel easier in her mind if she knows I'm gone for good,
then. Maybe you'd better tell her I'm dead."
He said it as calmly as if he were announcing the time of day, but he
was none the less earnest.
"There is one alternative, Tom," she said, at last coming to the plan
she had had in mind from the beginning.
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