From the chair in which Harrie sat came a lurching movement, and I saw his body bend forward, saw his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands, and then I heard a sudden sob, a soft, little cry that stabbed, and Etta was on the floor beside him, crouching at his feet, holding his hands to her heart, and uttering broken, foolish words and begging him to speak to her, to tell her that he would marry her—­that he would marry her and take her away.

“Harrie—­oh, Harrie!” Faintly we could hear the words that came stumblingly.  “Could we be married, Harrie, and go away, oh, far away, where nobody knows?  I will work for you—­live for you—­die for you, if need be, Harrie!  We could be happy.  I would try—­oh, I would try so hard to make you happy, and the baby would have a name.  You would not hate her if we were married.  She was never to know she had a mother, she was to think her real mother was dead and that I was just some one who loved her.  But if we were married I would not have to die to her.  Tell me—­oh, tell me, Harrie, that we can be married—­and go away—­where nobody knows!”

But he would tell her nothing.  With twitching shoulders and head turned from her he tried to draw his hands from those which held his in piteous appeal, and presently she seemed to understand, and into her face came a ghastly, shuddering smile, and slowly she got up and drew a deep breath.

As she stood aside Harrie, with a sudden movement, was on his feet and at the door.  His hand was on the knob and he tried to open the door, but instantly Selwyn was by him, and with hold none too gentle he was thrust back into the room.

“You damned coward!” Selwyn’s voice was low.  “She is the mother of your child, and you want to quit her; to run, rather than pay your price!  By God!  I’ll see you dead before you do!”

Again the room grew still.  The ticking of the clock and the beat of raindrops on the windowpanes mingled with the soft purring of the fire’s flames, and each waited, we knew not for what; and then Etta spoke.

“But you, too, would have to pay—­if he were made to pay—­the price.”  She looked at Selwyn.  “It is not fair that you should pay.  I will go away—­somewhere.  It does not matter about the baby or me.  Thank you, but—­ Good-by.  I’m going—­away.”

Before I could reach her, hold her back, she was out of the room and running down the steps and the front door had closed.  Mrs. Mundy looked up as I leaned over the banister.  “It is better to leave her alone to-day,” she said, and I saw that she was crying.  “We can see her to-morrow.  She had better be by herself for a while.”

Back in the room Selwyn and I looked at each other with white and troubled faces.  We had bungled badly and nothing had been done.

“Come to-morrow night.  I must see David Guard, must see Etta again, before I—­ Come to-morrow and I will tell you.  I must be sure.”  I turned toward Harrie, but he had gone into the hall.  Quickly my hands went out to Selwyn, and for a long moment he held them in his, then, without speaking, he turned and left me.