seemed to her that who was on his side was
of necessity an object of suspicion to herself, then there could be no
such bond of dread and guilt between them as any guilty knowledge on her
part of Wright's death would involve.

The substantial proof this exercise in logic appeared to afford of
Ella's innocence brought him much comfort, but did not lighten his sense
of apprehension and unrest, for he thought that in this situation in
which he found himself his doubts of Ella had merely been turned into
doubts on Ella's part of himself, and that the one was just as likely as
the other to end disastrously.

"Though I don't know what I can do," he muttered as he stood in his
attic, "if I gain Deede Dawson's confidence I lose Ella's, and if I win
Ella's, Deede Dawson will at once suspect me."

He went over to the window and looked out, supporting himself on his
elbows, and gazing moodily into the darkness.

As he stood there a faint sound came softly to his ear through the
stillness of the quiet night in which nothing stirred.

He listened, and heard it again. Beyond doubt some one was stirring in
the garden below, moving about there very cautiously and carefully,
and at once Dunn glided from the room and down the stairs with all that
extraordinary lightness of tread and agility of movement of which his
heavy body and clumsy-looking build gave so small promise.

He had not been living so many days in the house without having taken
certain precautions, of which one had been to secure for himself a swift
and silent egress whenever necessity might arise.

Keys to both the front and back doors were in his possession, and the
passage window on the ground floor he could at need lift bodily from
its frame, leaving ample room for passage either in or out. This was
the method of departure he chose now since he did not know but that the
doors might be watched.

Lifting the window down, he swung himself outside, replacing behind him
the window so that it appeared to be as firmly in position as ever, but
could be removed again almost instantly should need arise.

Once outside he listened again, and though at first everything was
quiet, presently he heard again a cautious step going to and fro at a
little distance.

Crouching in the shadow of the house, he listened intently, and soon was
able to assure himself that there was but one footstep and that he would
have only one individual to deal with.

"It won't be Deede Dawson's,