Alvin Mead looked at her irresolutely with his stupid light eyes;
then all his great system of bone and muscle seemed to back out of
the room before her. He shut the door after him, and they heard the
bolt slide.

Madelon turned to Burr. "Tell them," she gasped out--"tell them it
was--I!"

Burr did not speak for a minute; he stood looking at her. "Perhaps I
am not any too much of a man," he said, slowly, at length, "but you
ask me to be a good deal less of a man than I am."

Madelon did not seem to hear him. "I have told them I did it! I have
told them all," said she, "but they won't believe me--they won't
believe me! _You_ must tell them."

"I will die before I will tell them," said Burr Gordon.

Madelon looked at his white face, which was set against hers like a
rock; then she gave a great cry and fell down on her knees before
him. "Tell them," she moaned, "or they will hang you--they will hang
you, Burr!"

"Let them hang me, then!"

"Tell them; they won't believe me!"

Burr caught hold of her two arms and raised her to her feet. "See
here, Madelon," said he, "don't you know--"