hoarsely. But he had not reckoned that in his weak condition he was no match for Jasper Wilde, who for the moment was taken aback by the suddenness of the attack.The embrace was warm, passionate, sweet as stolen waters, and oh, so
dangerously dear! The word had been said, the deed was done, and from
that moment Jay Gardiner, though he knew it not, stood in the balance
between life and death--aye, more! in the balance between two souls,
the woman he loved, and the woman he had promised to make his wife.

God help him, for such a crisis no human power could guide. He was as a
ship adrift on a stormy sea, and far out of sight or sound of harbor to
which he might hope to steer."You shall never say that again, beautiful Bernardine! _I_ love you--yes, I love you with all my heart and soul! Oh, darling! answer me--do you care for me?" 

The girl recoiled from him with a low, wailing sob. The words of the fashionably attired young girl who had called upon her so mysteriously on that never-to-be-forgotten day, and taunted her with--"He is deceiving you, girl! Doctor Gardiner may talk to you of love, but he will never--never speak to you of marriage. Mark my words!"--were ringing like a death-knell in her ears. 

"Oh, Bernardine!" he cried, throwing prudence to the winds, forgetting in that moment everything save his mad love for her--"oh, my darling! you are _not_ alone in the world! _I_ love you! Marry me, Bernardine, and save me from the future spreading out darkly before me--marry me within the hour--_now_! Don't refuse me. We are near a church now. The rector lives next door. We will alight here, and in five minutes you will be all my own to comfort, to care for, to protect and idolize, to worship as I would an angel from Heaven!" 

He scarcely waited for her to consent. He stopped the coach, and fairly lifted her from the vehicle in his strong arms. 

"Oh, Doctor Gardiner, is it for the best?" she cried, clinging to him with death-cold hands. "Are you _sure_ you want me?" 

The answer that he gave her, as he bent his fair, handsome head, must have satisfied her. Loving him as she did, how could she say him nay? 

They entered the parsonage, and when they emerged from it, ten minutes later, Bernardine was Jay Gardiner's wedded wife. 

And that was the beginning of the tragedy. 

"I shall not take you to the scene of the fire just now, my darling," he 

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