Page:The Great Secret.djvu/66

50 that as he rushed forward- and clasped her in his arms with gratitude at her escape. She was his sole living charge, now that the others were slain.

He felt no wrong at embracing this wronged woman, now that the dastardly outrage had been perpetrated upon them. Her husband had given her over to death, and if she had escaped that was not his fault; she had taken the risk and passed through the punishment to which she had been condemned. She was no longer the property of Dr Fernandez the Anarchist. She was a virginal woman once more, and at liberty to bestow herself as she pleased.

The criminal who has served his sentence can no longer be regarded as a criminal, for he has paid his debt. The slave who yields up his life for his master has surely done with slavery. Sin brought death into the world, therefore, when the sinner dies, he has paid his debt of sin.

Philip Mortlake had these thoughts as he clasped Adela in his arms, as a brother might a sister. He was overjoyed to see her rise from the terrible shock unwounded, as he was, while all the others seemed to have been torn to pieces.

She looked wan and feeble at first. He felt himself in the same condition, but as the moments passed, the blood began to course once more through his veins as it had not done for many years. She also began to get more colour in her cheeks than she had before, and look younger. The shock must have stirred up their frozen blood and made it flow again with the freedom of youth.

What a wreck and shamble this handsomely-furnished room now was. The iron pillars were twisted in all directions, portions of the ceiling and floor gaped open and revealed a chasm of beams and ribs beneath, black