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"You believe--that I killed Kedsty," she said in a voice that was forced from her lips "And you have come to help me--to pay me for what I tried to do for you? That is it--Jeems?"

"Pay you?" he cried "I couldn't pay you in a an's place you gave me life You came when the last spark of hope in me had died I shall always believe that I would have died that night But you saved me

"From the moment I saw you I loved you, and I believe it was that love that kept h this storm Pay you! I can't I never shall be able to Because you thought I had killed a man made no difference You came just the same And you ca to tell myself WHY! But you did You were ready to kill And I aot ti about you If you killed hiood reason for it But I don't believe it was you who killed him You couldn't do it--with those hands!"

He reached out suddenly and seized therip to her wrists, so that her hands lay upward in his own, hands that were sered, soft-palmed, beautiful

"They couldn't!" he cried, almost fiercely "I swear to God they couldn't!"

Her eyes and face flamed at his words "You believe that, Jeems?"

"Yes, just as you believe that I did not kill John Barkley But the world is against us It is against us both now And we've got to hunt that hidden valley of yours together Understand, Marette? And I'lad"

He turned toward the door "Will you be ready in ten minutes?" he asked

She nodded "Yes, in ten minutes"

He ran out into the hall and down the stair, locking the front door Then he returned to his hiding-place under the roof He knew that a strange sort of edy only madness could inspire him with the ecstatic thrill that was in his veins Kedsty's death see--the fact that froed to hio with him He loved her In spite of whoever she was and whatever she had done, he loved her Very soon she would tell hi would be clear