Then he laid it down seized his pen, and wrote a few words.

It seemed to him as if he had not taken a sufficient farewell of his beloved daughter.

Then he turned again to the clock, counting time now not by minutes, but by seconds.

He took up the deadly weapon again, his lips parted and his eyes fixed on the clock, and then shuddered at the click of the trigger as he cocked the pistol.

At this moment of mortal anguish the cold sweat came forth upon his brow, a pang stronger than death clutched at his heart-strings.