suggestion that came to him as he stood staring out of the window
across the river. "She's paid and has got her receipt, but he is still
'wanted.' He is risking his neck every evening he watches for the
raising of that blind."

His thought took another turn.

"Yet how could he have let her go through those ten years of living
death while he walked the streets scot free? Some time during the
trial--the evidence piling up against her day by day--why didn't he
come forward, if only to stand beside her? Get himself hanged, if only
out of mere decency?"

He sat down, took the brief up in his hand without looking at it.

"Or was that the reward that she claimed? That he should wait, keeping
alive the one hope that would make the suffering possible to her?
Yes," he continued, musing, "I can see a man who cared for a woman
taking that as his punishment."

Now that his interest in the case had been revived he seemed unable to
keep it out of his mind. Since our joint visit I had once or twice
passed through the street by myself, and on the last occasion had again
seen the raising of the blind. It obsessed him--the desire to meet the
man face to face. A handsome, bold, masterful man, he conceived him.
But there must be something more for such a woman to have sold her
soul--almost, one might say--for the sake of him.

There was just one chance of succeeding. Each time he had come from
the direction of the Edgware Road. By keeping well out of sight at the
other end of the street, and watching till he entered it, one might
time oneself to come upon him just under the lamp. He would hardly be
likely to turn and go back; that would be to give himself away. He
would probably content himself with pretending to be like ourselves,
merely hurrying through, and in his turn watching till we had
disappeared.

Fortune seemed inclined to favour us. About the usual time the blind
was gently raised, and very soon afterwards there came round the corner
the figure of a man. We entered the street ourselves a few seconds
later, and it seemed likely that, as we had planned, we should come
face to face with him under the gaslight. He walked towards us,
stooping and with bent head. We expected him to pass the house by. To
our surprise he stopped when he came to it, and pushed open the gate.
In another moment we should have lost all chance of seeing anything
more of him except his bent back. With a couple of strides my friend
wa