no throb that would respond to the higher and nobler sentiments of a wife had i not proved you one of those creatures who their own offspring i would have respected your position and given due consideration to your sex but when one with a murderer he finds no place for delicate methods i shall treat you like any criminal found with the proofs of him out of mrs laughed again long and where under what law do you learn that woman must sacrifice health for a child she does not want she demanded it is well enough for a man to talk if he had the risk to run he would sing another tune i have a right to say whether i will or will not bear children not now he replied the hour for that consideration has passed i am your partner in the life that has begun and my interests are sacred you know that for five years i have worn my heart out praying for another of my home i have done injustice to heaven complaining that my chief desire was refused i would never have contracted marriage but for the belief that children would bless it when you stood with me before the clergyman at you took upon yourself obligations that you cannot throw aside at will your infant is as much mine as if he lay in your arms discussion is useless i am not to be moved the wife resumed her seat and rocked backward and forward in her chair tapping the floor nervously with one of her feet the excitement under which she labored was her she had begun also to feel a little afraid of this man who had shown a side of his nature that she had never believed existed you think you can compel me she said presently you will find your mistake i shall you i am afraid you don t understand me yet was his cool reply i have evidence of your condition if you succeed in me what can you do as you call it you will commit an offence recognized by the laws of the state but i assure you i shall not rely upon that the words you have already spoken convince me that you require the measures i am prepared to apply them the like returned to the woman s lips i could utter one scream and arouse the neighborhood she said what could you do then see that you did not repeat it he replied would put a in your mouth and keep it there she at him the hate she could not put into verbal expression then with a bound like that of a wild beast she sprang toward the door of the room in an instant he caught her there was a quick collision physical strength against physical strength she got one of her arms free and drew blood his face with her nails it was all he could do to escape the teeth that him seeing that he must her exerted all his strength and bore his wife heavily to the carpet the that followed was too genuine to allow of the least doubt ringing a bell the husband summoned a strong looking woman and together they carried the still form upstairs and laid it on a bed this is unfortunate said the attendant it will not do to let it happen again you must not be here when she her senses send my sister up for if she begins to it may take two of us to hold her obeyed the suggestion and when his errand was accomplished went back to the library and threw himself all perspiration and trembling upon a sofa out of god forgive me he moaned for laying rough hands on her he took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his face i don t mind these he said raising himself on his elbow to look into a mirror she might have the blood in my heart and welcome but she shall not destroy that little innocent life no no she shall not miss s chapter ix the birth of it is not my purpose to dwell at unnecessary length upon the scenes which filled the next few weeks some of them were little short of tragic mrs s had to be constantly on the alert to prevent her herself she developed a twice she narrowly escaped with sharp instruments which she snatched up had she been able to get out of the house she would have thrown herself into the river each attempt of her husband to com into her presence made her almost at last dr was called in and his examination the birth of proved that she was in a condition that fully justified the restraint the authority of the physician was now for the proceedings that had been begun in such a high handed fashion the nurses as they were called were to use the greatest care nerve and were given as directed for a long time there was little change in the patient s condition but not once did in his determination she should the duty on which she had embarked if she lived later her course might be decided by herself he would never care for her again even in the remotest manner the glimpse he had had of her true nature would make him her for the rest of her days time many things and at last after six or seven weeks mrs grew calmer but her excitement was succeeded by a confirmed melancholy she firmly believed that she was drifting with absolute certainty to death like a prisoner under sentence she began to prepare for the inevitable hour with something like resignation she begged the physician to see that her body was laid by her parents graves and on no account in the lot owned by her husband nonsense replied dr with a smile 