The white faces and imploring hands of his wife and children were still vividly before him.
"Poor, weak, coward heart!" he at last murmured to himself.

"An evil spirit was thy counsellor.

I knew not that so mean and base a purpose could find admittance there.

What! Beggar and disgrace my wife and children, and then, like a skulking coward, leave them to bear the evil I had not the courage to face! Edward Markland! Can this, indeed, be true of thee ?" And the excited man sprang from the bed.

A feeble light came in through the window-panes above the door, and made things dimly visible.