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THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN

from him, took something from the pocket of her dress.

"I have a revolver," she said.

She proved it by discovering that she had such a weapon in her hand. It was probably the same one with which, in the morning, she had kept Mr. Kennard at a distance.

Mr. Nash called out to his friend—

"Keep tight hold of him, Hugh, don't let him get near it for your life!"

Madame Gerbert turned to him with that air of simple seriousness which was so like the exaggerated seriousness of a little child.

"It is not for my husband. It is for me!"

Before they had a suspicion of her purpose she placed the barrel of the revolver against her brow and fired. It was done so quickly that, although Mr. Kennard rushed forward, while the words were still, as it were, upon her lips, he was only in time to put his arm about her body as it was falling—dead.