Gerald turned to Lillian. "Can - he - say - papa -?" Lillian shook her head. Tears welled into her eyes.

"It's good of you to come, Lil - I don't deserve it - God knows how sorry I am." He choked - His eyelids drooped for a moment - then opened again and he whispered faintly: "There'll be - money - to bring up the kiddie -

Don - will you-----" his breath stopped short; he lapsed into unconsciousness.

Frances, who had been watching the scene with an intense strain, sprang to the bedside. "Be quick, Don," she cried, "don't let him sink back into that stupor - will you let him die -?" she ejaculated with indignant entreaty, "without making one effort to save him?"

Adoni reached for her hands and with gentle gravity said: "Frances, try to be brave, and understand that my power to heal can not save Gerald's life. He realizes that in his condition he can not recover and that he will be much happier------."

"Oh," cried Frances, hysterically, releasing her hands from his clasp, and facing him with blazing eyes. "Don't think to pacify me with such twaddle. You say you can not save him. You mean that you will not. You want him to die - you think that he has disgraced you enough."

"Frances, please calm yourself and listen to what I wish to say." She gazed at him blankly, as Adoni continued firmly: "If Gerald passes away------."

"You mean - if he dies." A tremor shook her body. "I shall die with him - and both of us - buried in one grave." A swift and subtle change passed over her features - she stared wildly at her brother; threw herself upon her knees beside Gerald and repeated dolefully - "Both dead - Jerry and I. No, he is not going to die - seethe is opening his eyes again - and smiles. Lillian, come quick! He wants to kiss the baby!"

Poor frightened Lillian bounded to her feet and rushed with the child to where Frances knelt. Frances reached for the babe madly and plunged him upon the bed, bent his head low for Gerald to kiss him. "Hurry, baby, hurry and kiss your papa - he will get well if you do."

She pressed the child upon her brother's face until in his distress he began to scream. Frances paying no heed to his cry, continued to coax the child in her frenzied way to kiss his papa.

Adoni realizing her state of mind seized the little one with one swift movement and gave him back to his mother. "Lillian, take the baby away; it is not best for both Gerald and his sister to see him any longer."

Lillian was visibly relieved to obey Adoni's orders and left the room quickly. "I will wait down stairs with mother; she came with me, if you should want me again.------"

"Yes, Lillian, I will call you if you are needed." Adoni hastened again to the bedside, but did not disturb Frances in her distressful agitation, knowing that at this time silence was golden.

Frances caught her breath with a dry sob and gazed in terrified awe at the solemn aspect of the stirless form. Then again, in rapid, incoherent whispers: "Jerry, Jerry wake up. Don't lie there so still. You frighten me. Open your eyes. You wouldn't be so cruel and leave sister all alone. I've no one but you, Jerry. Don't be afraid - sister will take care of you - you need not go to prison. Do you hear, Jerry - they shall not put you in prison. Open your eyes - and speak to me------."

In breathless suspense, she gazed upon the pallid face, then stooping closer, she murmured, as one pleading with a child. "Come Jerry - speak once more to sister, please do." With trembling finger she wiped the death-damp from his brow, then opened the glazing eyes which were already fixed in an impenetrable upward stare------.

"Oh God!" she cried pitifully - "help him - to speak." With a sudden, forced calm, she faced Adoni and her voice had in it a trace of the old, persuasive sweetness.

"Don't mind if I spoke harshly Don, I'm - I'm not well. My head is queer. You didn't mean that you couldn't do anything - you said that just to try me, but I'm not brave, I'm a coward and it's cruel to frighten me. Listen, Don, - if you'll save him I'll be your slave, I'll do anything you say; I'll bear your children, or if you wish, Jerry and I will go away, far, far away, where you will never be troubled about us again."

There came a gasping sound from the bed - Francis turned her head quickly - .

The staring eyes of the dying man rolled back - his body quivered, then straightened and he was still.

An awful silence followed------.

Frances stood mute, motionless and white as death - . Her eyes slowly dilating with horror, she moved slowly like one in a dream towards the bed - then suddenly as if the full comprehension of what she saw burst, upon her, she flung herself with a sharp shriek upon the lifeless body,

" Jerry!" she cried, then in quick, jarring accents: "He's fainted, call the doctor!" Frantically she chafed the inert arms.

"Help me!" she cried despairingly to Adoni.

As the terrible truth forced itself upon her, she threw her hands to her head, her body swayed; she would have fallen had not Adoni caught her trembling form. "Be brave Prances, do not weep over the lifeless form Gerald has left. He has now gone toward a better world where he will live------"

"Then he is not dead?" interrupted Frances, joyfully. A strange light kindled in her eyes. "Jerry, wait for me, you need not go alone, I will get ready to go with you. She moved unsteadily toward the door. Adoni stood before it and placed a detaining hand upon her arm. She gazed at him as upon a stranger. "Who are you, sir? Please let me pass."

"Frances," pleaded Adoni, holding both of her hands and speaking in a kind, commanding way: "Will you please listen to me, Frances?"

"You seem to know me. Did you know my brother is dead? You look something like a man I once knew - long - long - ago------He was my husband - and I betrayed him; he was a charlatan, a fake who pretended to cure people, but he let my brother die. Did you know my brother?"