"God!" she gasped, shutting her eyes and clenching her hands in an
ecstasy of revulsion. "What a beast,--what a horrible beast I am!
What a coward!"
Her knees trembled; an icy perspiration seemed to start out all over
her body. She had wished him dead! She had grasped at THAT as the
solution! Her heart had leaped joyously! It was as if some great
weight suddenly had been lifted from it. Now she was numb with
horror. What devilish power had taken possession of her in that
brief, soul-destroying instant? She shuddered. She was afraid to
open her eyes. She reached out with her hand for the support of
the table. She had longed for some one to come and tell her that
he was dead!
Some one was pounding on the outer door. She had a dim, vague
impression that this pounding had been going on for some time.
A sort of paralysis benumbed her sensibilities. Her eyes were now
wide open, staring. Had her wish come true? Was some, one come to
tell her that her horrible wish had come true? Suddenly the fetters
fell away. She rushed frantically to the door and turned the knob.
The driving wind flung it open with a force that almost swept her
off her feet.
Thane stood on the threshold, hatless, panting. The light from the
hall, falling upon his face, revealed a long red stain that ran
from temple to chin. As she drew back, alarmed, he staggered into
the hall, limping painfully, and pushed the door shut behind him.
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