head； was plentiful and glossy； and her eyes had lost none of their dangerous brightness。 Her figure was coarser； and the white arm that gleamed through a muslin sleeve showed an outline that a fastidious artist might wish to modify。 The most noticeable change was in her face。 The cheeks owned no longer that delicate purity which they once boasted； but had become thicker； while here and there showed those faint red streaksas though the rich blood throbbed too painfully in the veinswhich are the first signs of the decay of 〃fine〃 women。 With middle age and the fullness of figure to which most women of her temperament are prone； had come also that indescribable vulgarity of speech and manner which habitual absence of moral restraint never fails to produce。
Maurice Frere spoke first； he was anxious to bring his visit to as speedy a termination as possible。 〃What do you want of me？〃 he asked。
Sarah Purfoy laughed； a forced laugh； that sounded so unnatural； that Frere turned to look at her。 〃I want you to do me a favour a very great favour； that is if it will not put you out of the way。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Frere roughly； pursing his lips with a sullen air。 〃Favour！ What do you call this？〃 striking the sofa on which he sat。 〃Isn't this a favour？ What do you call your precious house and all that's in it？ Isn't that a favour？ What do you mean？〃
To his utter astonishment the woman replied by shedding tears。 For some time he regarded her in silence； as if unwilling to be softened by such shallow device； but eventually felt constrained to say something。 〃Have you been drinking again？〃 he asked； 〃or what's the matter with you？ Tell me what it is you want； and have done with it。 I don't know what possessed me to come here at all。〃
Sarah sat upright； and dashed away her tears with one passionate hand。
〃I am ill； can't you see； you fool！〃 said she。 〃The news has unnerved me。 If I have been drinking； what then？ It's nothing to you； is it？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 returned the other； 〃it's nothing to me。 You are the principal party concerned。 If you choose to bloat yourself with brandy； do it by all means。〃
〃You don't pay for it； at any rate！〃 said she； with quickness of retaliation which showed that this was not the only occasion on which they had quarrelled。
〃Come；〃 said Frere； impatiently brutal； 〃get on。 I can't stop here all night。〃
She suddenly rose； and crossed to where he was standing。
〃Maurice； you were very fond of me once。〃
〃Once；〃 said Maurice。
〃Not so very many years ago。〃
〃Hang it！〃 said he； shifting his arm from beneath her hand； 〃don't let us have all that stuff over again。 It was before you took to drinking and swearing； and going raving mad with passion； any way。〃
〃Well； dear；〃 said she； with her great glittering eyes belying the soft tones of her voice； 〃I suffered for it； didn't I？ Didn't you turn me out into the streets？ Didn't you lash me with your whip like a dog？ Didn't you put me in gaol for it； eh？ It's hard to struggle against you； Maurice。〃
The compliment to his obstinacy seemed to please himperhaps the crafty woman intended that it shouldand he smiled。
〃Well； there； let old times be old times； Sarah。 You haven't done badly； after all；〃 and he looked round the well…furnished room。 〃What do you want？〃
〃There was a transport came in this morning。〃
〃Well？〃
〃You know who was on board her； Maurice！〃
Maurice brought one hand into the palm of the other with a rough laugh。
〃Oh； that's it； is it！ 'Gad； what a flat I was not to think of it before！ You want to see him； I suppose？〃 She came close to him； and； in her earnestness； took his hand。 〃I want to save his life！〃
〃Oh； that be hanged； you know！ Save his life！ It can't be done。〃
〃You can do it； Maurice。〃
〃I save John Rex's life？〃 cried Frere。 〃Why； you must be mad！〃
〃He is the only creature that loves me； Mauricethe only man who cares for me。 He has done no harm。 He only wanted to be freewas it not natural？ You can save him if you like。 I only ask for his life。 What does it matter to you？ A miserable prisonerhis death would be of no use。 Let him live； Maurice。〃
Maurice laughed。 〃What have I to do with it？〃
〃You are the principal witness against him。 If you say that he behaved well and he did behave well； you know： many men would have left you to starve they won't hang him。〃
〃Oh； won't they！ That won't make much difference。〃
〃Ah； Maurice； be merciful！〃 She bent towards him； and tried to retain his hand； but he withdrew it。
〃You're a nice sort of woman to ask me to help your lovera man who left me on that cursed coast to die； for all he cared；〃 he said； with a galling recollection of his humiliation of five years back。 〃Save him！ Confound him； not I！〃
〃Ah； Maurice； you will。〃 She spoke with a suppressed sob in her voice。 〃What is it to you？ You don't care for me now。 You beat me； and turned me out of doors； though I never did you wrong。 This man was a husband to me long； long before I met you。 He never did you any harm； he never will。 He will bless you if you save him； Maurice。〃
Frere jerked his head impatiently。 〃Bless me！〃 he said。 〃I don't want his blessings。 Let him swing。 Who cares？〃
Still she persisted； with tears streaming from her eyes； with white arms upraised； on her knees even； catching at his coat； and beseeching him in broken accents。 In her wild； fierce beauty and passionate abandonment she might have been a deserted Ariadnea suppliant Medea。 Anything rather than what she wasa dissolute； half…maddened woman； praying for the pardon of her convict husband。
Maurice Frere flung her off with an oath。 〃Get up！〃 he cried brutally； 〃and stop that nonsense。 I tell you the man's as good as dead for all I shall do to save him。〃
At this repulse； her pent…up passion broke forth。 She sprang to her feet； and； pushing back the hair that in her frenzied pleading had fallen about her face； poured out upon him a torrent of abuse。 〃You！ Who are you； that you dare to speak to me like that？ His little finger is worth your whole body。 He is a man； a brave man； not a coward； like you。 A coward！ Yes； a coward！ a coward！ A coward！ You are very brave with defenceless men and weak women。 You have beaten me until I was bruised black； you cur； but who ever saw you attack a man unless he was chained or bound？ Do not I know you？ I have seen you taunt a man at the triangles； until I wished the screaming wretch could get loose； and murder you as you deserve！ You will be murdered one of these days； Maurice Freretake my word for it。 Men are flesh and blood； and flesh and blood won't endure the torments you lay on it！〃
〃There； that'll do；〃 says Frere； growing paler。 〃Don't excite yourself。〃
〃I know you； you brutal coward。 I have not been your mistress God forgive me！without learning you by heart。 I've seen your ignorance and your conceit。 I've seen the men who ate your food and drank your wine laugh at you。 I've heard what your friends say； I've heard the comparisons they make。 One of your dogs has more brains than you； and twice as much heart。 And these are the men they send to rule us！ Oh； Heaven！ And such an animal as this has life and death in his hand！ He may hang； may he？ I'll hang with him； then； and God will forgive me for murder； for I will kill you！〃
Frere had cowered before this frightful torrent of rage； but； at the scream which accompanied the last words； he stepped forward as though to seize her。 In her desperate courage； she flung herself before him。 〃Strike me！ You daren't！ I defy you！ Bring up the wretched creatures who learn the way to Hell in this cursed house； and let them see you do it。 Call them！ They are old friends of yours。 They all know Captain Maurice Frere。〃
〃Sarah！〃
〃You remember Lucy Barnespoor little Lucy Barnes that stole sixpennyworth of calico。 She is downstairs now。 Would you know her if you saw her？ She isn't the bright…faced baby she was when they sent her here to 'reform'； and when Lieutenant Frere wanted a new housemaid from the Factory！ Call for her！call！ do you hear？ Ask any one of those beasts whom you lash and chain for Lucy Barnes。 He'll tell you all about heray； and about many moremany more poor souls that are at the bidding of any drunken brute that has stolen a pound note to fee the Devil with！ Oh； you good God in Heaven； will You not judge this man？〃
Frere trembled。 He had often witnessed this creature's whirlwinds of passion； but never had he seen her so violent as this。 Her frenzy frightened him。 〃For Heaven's sake； Sarah； be quiet。 What is it you want？ What would you do？〃
〃I'll go to this girl you want to marry； and tell her all I know of you。 I have seen her in the streetshave seen her look the other way when I passed herhave seen her gather up her muslin skirts when my silks touched herI that nursed her； that heard her say her baby…prayers （O Jesus； pity me！）and I know what she thinks of women like me。 She is goodand virtuousand cold。 She would shudder at you if she knew what I know。 Shudder！ She would hate you！ And I will tell her！ Ay； I will！ You will be respectable； will you？ A model husband！ Wait till I tell her my storytill I send some of these poor women to tell theirs。 You kill my love； I'll blight and ruin yours！〃
Frere caught her by both wrists； and with all his strength forced her to her knees。 〃Don't speak her name；〃 he said in a hoarse voice； 〃or I'll do you a mischief。 I know all you mean to do。 I'm not such a fool as not to see that。 Be quiet！ Men have murdered women like you； and now I know how they came to do it。〃
For a few minutes a silence fell upon the pair； and at last Frere； releasing her hands； fell back from her。
〃I'll do what you want； on one condition。〃
〃What？〃
〃That you leave this place。〃
〃Where for？〃
〃Anywherethe farther the better。 I'll pay your passage to Sydney； and you go or stay there as you please。〃
She had grown calmer； hearing him thus relenting。 〃But this house； Maurice？〃
〃You are not in debt？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； leave it。 It's your own affair； not mine。 If I help you； you must go。〃
〃May I see him？〃
〃No。〃
〃Ah； Maurice！〃
〃You can see him in the dock if you like；〃 says Frere；