“I’ll cut you, Philip; I will, by ——­”

Her hand, in fact, was fumbling about her pocket, and she drew forth a small knife and thrust it into his shoulder.  They were near the table, over which Philip had thrust her down.  He was wild with rage and the brandy he had drank.  His right hand instinctively grasped the heavy bottle that by chance it came in contact with.  The next instant, it descended full upon her forehead, and with a moan of fear and pain, she fell like lead upon the floor, and lay bleeding and motionless.

Philip, still grasping the shattered bottle, gazed aghast upon the lifeless form.  Then a cry of terror burst upon his ear.  He turned, and beheld Miranda, with dishevelled hair, pale as her night-clothes, standing at the threshold of the open door.  With a convulsive shudder, she staggered into the room, and fainted at his feet, her white arm stained with the blood that was sinking in little pools into the carpet.

He stood there gazing from one to the other, but without seeking to succor either.  The fumes of brandy, and the sudden revulsion from active wrath to apathy, seemed to stupefy his brain.  At last he stooped beside the outstretched form of Molly, and, with averted face, felt in her pocket and drew out the key.  Stealthily, as if he feared that they could hear him, he moved toward the door, opened it, and passing through, closed it gently, as one does who would not waken a sleeping child or invalid.  Rapidly, but with soft steps, he descended the stairs, and went out into the darkness and the storm.

CHAPTER XVI.

When Miranda awakened from her swoon, the lamp was burning dimly, and the first light of dawn came faintly through the blinds.  All was still around her, and for some moments she could not recall the terrible scene which had passed before her eyes.  Presently her fingers came in contact with the clots of gore that were thickening on her garment, and she arose quickly, and, with a shudder, tottered against the wall.  Her eyes fell upon Moll’s white face, the brow mangled and bruised, and the dishevelled hair soaking in the crimson tide that kept faintly oozing from the cut.  She was alone in the house with that terrible object; for Philip, careless of her convenience, had only procured the services of a girl from a neighboring farm-house, who attended to the household duties during the day, and went home in the evening.  But her womanly compassion was stronger than her sense of horror, and kneeling by the side of the prostrate woman, with inexpressible relief she perceived, by the slight pulsation of the heart, that life was there.  Entering her chamber, she hastily put on a morning wrapper, and returning with towel and water, raised Moll’s head upon her lap, and washed the thick blood from her face.  The cooling moisture revived the wounded woman; her bosom swelled with a deep sigh, and she opened her eyes and looked languidly around.