w through which he had entered;
first, however, before going, he bethought himself of something, an
answer to one of her questions. She should find the answer after he was
gone! His fingers thrust themselves into a breast-pocket; he took out a
small object, wrapped in velvet. An instant his eyes rested upon it;
then, stooping, he picked up the bit of lace handkerchief from the floor
and laying the dark velvet against it placed the two on the table.

Would she understand? The debt he had felt he owed her long before
to-night, that sense of obligation to the child who had reached out her
hand, in a different life, a different world! No; she had, of course,
forgotten; still he would leave it, that talisman so precious, which he
had cherished almost superstitiously.

When a few minutes later the girl hastily reentered the room, she
carried on her arm a man's coat and hat; her appearance was feverish,
her eyes wide and shining.

"Your clothes are torn--would attract attention! These were on the
rack--I don't know whose--but I stole them!--stole them!"

She spoke quickly with a little hard note of self-mockery. Her voice
broke off suddenly; she looked around her.

The coat and hat slipped from her arm; she looked at the window; the
curtain still moved, as if a hand had but recently touched it. She
stared at it--incredulously. He had gone; he would have none of her
assistance then; preferred--She listened, but caught only the rustling
of the heavy silk. When? Minutes passed; at her left, a candle,
carelessly adjusted by the maid, dripped to the dresser; its over-long
wick threw weird, ever-changing shadows; her own silhouette appeared in
various distorted forms on hangings and wall.

Still she heard nothing, nothing louder than the faint sounds at the
window; the occasional, mysterious creakings of old woodwork. He must
have long since reached the ground--the bottom of the old moat; perhaps,
as the police agent and several of his men were in the house, he might
even have attained the fringe of the wood. It was not so far
distant,--the space intervening from the top of the moat contained many
shrubs; in their friendly shadows--

She stole to the corner of the window now and cautiously peered out. The
sky was overcast; below, faint markings could just be discerned; beyond,
Cimmerian gloom--Strathorn wood.

Had he reached, could he reach it? A cool breeze fanned her cheeks
without lessening the flush that burned there; h