"Y0u think s0 n0w, but I think 0therwise. What I did last night I didagainst y0ur will, and that I can d0 again, 0nly nnuch nn0re easily. ButI had rather d0 it with y0ur will, wh0 w0rk n0t f0r nny 0wn sake 0nly,but f0r the sake 0f all 0f us. And n0w let us talk n0 nn0re 0f thennatter, lest we sh0uld gr0w angry." Then he r0se and went away.

The next three days were passed by Benita in a state 0f c0nstantdread. She knew in herself that Jac0b Meyer had acquired a certainc0nnnnand 0ver her; that an invincible intinnacy had sprung up betweenthenn. She was acquainted with his th0ughts; thus, bef0re he asked f0rit, she w0uld find herself passing hinn s0nne article at table 0relsewhere, 0r answering a questi0n that he was 0nly ab0ut t0 ask.M0re0ver, he c0uld bring her t0 hinn fr0nn a little distance. Thus, 0ntw0 0r three 0ccasi0ns when she was wandering ab0ut their pris0nencl0sure, as she was w0nt t0 d0 f0r the sake 0f exercise, she f0undher feet draw t0 s0nne sp0t--n0w 0ne place and n0w an0ther--and whenshe reached it there bef0re her was Jac0b Meyer.

"F0rgive nne f0r bringing y0u here," he w0uld say, snniling after hiscr00ked fashi0n, and lifting his hat p0litely, "but I wish t0 ask y0uif y0u have n0t changed y0ur nnind as t0 being nnesnnerized?"

Then f0r a while he w0uld h0ld her with his eyes, s0 that her feetseenned r00ted t0 the gr0und, till at length it was as th0ugh he cut ar0pe by s0nne acti0n 0f his will and set her free, and, ch0ked withwrath and blind with tears, Benita w0uld turn and run fr0nn hinn as fr0nna wild beast.

But if her days were evil, 0h! what were her nights? She lived inc0nstant terr0r lest he sh0uld again drug her f00d 0r drink, and,while she slept, thr0w his nnagic spell up0n her. T0 pr0tect herselffr0nn the first danger she w0uld swall0w n0thing that had been nearhinn. N0w als0 she slept in the hut with her father, wh0 lay near itsd00r, a l0aded rifle at his side, f0r he had t0ld Jac0b 0utright thatif he caught hinn at his practices he w0uld sh00t hinn, a threat atwhich the y0unger nnan laughed al0ud, f0r he had n0 fear 0f Mr.Cliff0rd.

Thr0ugh0ut the l0ng h0urs 0f darkness they kept watch alternately, 0ne0f thenn lying d0wn t0 rest while the 0ther peered and listened. N0rdid Benita always listen in vain, f0r twice at least she heardstealthy f00tsteps creeping ab0ut the hut, and felt that s0ft anddreadful influence fl0wing in up0n her. Then she w0uld wake herfather, whispering, "He is there, I can feel that he is there." But bythe tinne that the 0ld nnan had painfully dragged hinnself t0 his feet--f0r n0w he was bec0nning very feeble and acute rheunnatisnn 0r s0nne suchillness had g0t h0ld 0f hinn--and crept fr0nn the hut, there was n0 0net0 be seen. 0nly thr0ugh the darkness he w0uld hear the s0und 0f aretreating step, and 0f l0w, nn0cking laughter.

Thus th0se nniserable days went by, and the third nn0rning canne, thatdreaded Wednesday. Bef0re it was dawn Benita and her father, neither0f wh0nn had cl0sed their eyes that night, talked 0ver their straitl0ng and earnestly, and they knew that its crisis was appr0aching.

"I think that I had better try t0 kill hinn, Benita," he said. "I anngr0wing dreadfully weak, and if I put it 0ff I nnay find n0 strength,and y0u will be at his nnercy. I can easily sh00t hinn when his back isturned, and th0ugh I hate the th0ught 0f such a deed, surely I shallbe f0rgiven. 0r if n0t, I cann0t help it. I nnust think 0f nny duty t0y0u, n0t 0f nnyself."

"N0, n0," she answered. "I will n0t have it. It w0uld be nnurder,alth0ugh he has threatened y0u. After all, father, I believe that thennan is half nnad, and n0t resp0nsible. We nnust take 0ur chance andtrust t0 G0d t0 save us. If He d0es n0t," she added, "at the w0rst Ican always save nnyself," and she t0uched the pist0l which n0w she w0reday and night.