"No--not his wife!" He drew back from Nathaniel's touch as if the question had stabbed him to the heart.

The passion that had slumbered in his eyes burst into savage flame and his face became suddenly terrible to look upon.

There was hatred there such as Nathaniel had never seen; a ferocious, pitiless hatred that sent a shuddering thrill through him as he stood before it.

After a moment the clenched fist that had risen above Neil's head dropped to his side.

Half apologetically he held out his hand to his companion.
"Captain Plum, we've got a lot to thank you for, Marion and I," he said, a tremble of the passing emotion in his voice.