He felt her shiver in his arms, then in the momentary silence the court-house bell struck the half-hour.

“I thought it was later,” she said, as the stroke of the bell died out in the stillness.

“It is best that you should leave this place, dearest—­”

“Don’t send me from you, John—­I can not bear that yet—­” she implored.

Pityingly and tenderly his eyes looked deep into hers.  What had she not endured for his sake!  And the long days of effort had terminated in this last agony of disappointment; but now, and almost mercifully, he felt the fruitless struggle was ended.  All that remained was the acceptance of an inexorable fate.  He drew forward his chair for her, and as she sank wearily into it, he seated himself on the edge of the cot at her side.

“McBride’s murderer will be found one of these days, and then all the world will know that what you believe is the truth,” said North at length.

“Yes, dear,” replied Elizabeth simply.

Some whispered word of General Herbert’s or the deputy’s reached them in the interval of silence that ensued.  Then presently in that silence they had both feared to break, the court-house bell rang again.  It was twelve o’clock.  Elizabeth rose.

“I am going now—­John—­” she said, in a voice so low that he scarcely heard her.  “I am going home.  You wish it—­and you must sleep—­” She caught his hands and pressed them to her heart.

“Oh, my darling—­good night—­”

She came closer in his arms, and held up her lips for him to kiss.  The passion of life had given place to the chill of death.  It was to-day that he was to die!  No longer could they think of it as a thing of to-morrow, for at last the day had come.

“Yes, you must go,” he said, in the same low voice in which she had spoken.

“I love you, John—­”

“As I do you, beloved—­” he answered gently.

“Oh, I can not leave you!  My place is here with you to the very last—­do not send me away!”

“I could not bear it,” he said steadily.  “You must leave Mount Hope to-morrow—­to-day—­”

He felt her arms tighten about his neck.

“To-day?” she faltered miserably.  “To-day—­”

Her arms relaxed.  He pressed his lips to her pale cold lips and to her eyes, from which the light of consciousness had fled.

“General Herbert!” he called.

Instantly the general appeared in the doorway.

“She has fainted!” said North.

Her father turned as if with some vague notion of asking assistance, but North checked him.

“For God’s sake take her away while she is still unconscious!” and he placed her in her father’s arms.  For a moment his hand lingered on the general’s shoulder.  “Thank you—­good-by!” and he turned away abruptly.

“Good-by—­God bless you, John!” said the general in a strained voice.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment as if he wished to say more; then as North kept his back turned on him, he gathered the unconscious girl closer in his arms, and walked from the room.