ngs
nor deterred his step. The awakening of his heart to new and profound
emotions had not softened him towards the sufferings of others if those
others stood without the pale he had previously raised as the legitimate
boundary of a just man's sympathies.

He was, as I have said, an extraordinary specimen of manly vigour in
body and in mind, and his presence in any company always attracted
attention and roused, if it never satisfied, curiosity. Conversation
accordingly ceased as he strode up to Mr. Challoner's side, so that his
words were quite audible as he addressed that gentleman with a somewhat
curt:

"You see me again, Mr. Challoner. May I beg of you a few minutes'
further conversation? I will not detain you long."

The grey head turned, and the many eyes watching showed surprise at the
expression of dislike and repulsion with which this New York gentleman
met the request thus emphatically urged. But his answer was courteous
enough. If Mr. Brotherson knew a place where they would be left
undisturbed, he would listen to him if he would be very brief.

For reply, the other pointed to a small room quite unoccupied which
opened out of the one in which they then stood. Mr. Challoner bowed
and in an other moment the door closed upon them, to the infinite
disappointment of the men about the hearth.

"What do you wish to ask?" was Mr. Challoner's immediate inquiry.

"This; I make no apologies and expect in answer nothing more than an
unequivocal yes or no. You tell me that you have never met my brother.
Can that be said of the other members of your family--of your deceased
daughter, in fact?"

"No."

"She was acquainted with Oswald Brotherson?"

"She was."

"Without your knowledge?"

"Entirely so."

"Corresponded with him?"

"Not exactly."

"How, not exactly?"

"He wrote to her--occasionally. She wrote to him frequently--but she
never sent her letters."

"Ah!"

The exclamation was sharp, short and conveyed little. Yet with its
escape, the whole scaffolding of this man's hold upon life and his own
fate went down in indistinguishable chaos. Mr. Challoner realised
a sense of havoc, though the eyes bent upon his countenance had not
wavered, nor the stalwart figure moved.

"I have read some of those letters," the inventor finally acknowledged.
"The police took great pains to place them under my eye, supposing
them to have been meant for me because of the initials written on the
wrapper. But they were