"I must stay with her; I dare not leave her again alone, lest she escape me once more.

She is mine, truly mine by every law of the Church,--my wife, I tell you, and I would die here in the wilderness rather than permit her longer to doom herself to such a fate as this." His words and manner were so wild they startled me.

Surely, in his present frame of mind he would prove useless on such a mission as that before us.
"Then remain here, Monsieur!" I said, "and do your best to win her consent to accompany us.

No doubt Mademoiselle will aid you all that is in her power.".