Take me away before she comes back." He was hardly able to support her.

The visible, tangible reality of the knife struck him with a panic, and utterly destroyed any faint doubts that he might have entertained up to this time in relation to the mysterious dream-warning of nearly eight years before.

By a last desperate effort, he summoned self-possession enough to help his mother out of the house--so quietly that the "Dream-woman" (he thought of her by that name now) did not hear them departing from the kitchen.
"Don't go back, Isaac--don't go back!" implored Mrs.Scatchard, as he turned to go away, after seeing her safely seated again in her own room.
"I must get the knife," he answered, under his breath.

His mother tried to stop him again, but he hurried out without another word.
On his return he found that his wife had discovered their secret departure from the house.

She had been drinking, and was in a fury of passion.