had been
reading was lying open and unheeded on her lap. Her surroundings were
by no means in keeping with her dejected manner. The room was cosy and
lavishly furnished, while the shaded electric reading-lamp cast its
gentle radiance upon the woman's white hair and soft evening-gown. It
was a rough night, and the wind howling outside beat furiously against
the closely-blinded windows.

It was a night such as this, nearly twenty years before, of which the
woman was thinking. She was once again in a room in a private
hospital, lying weak and helpless from the ordeal through which she had
passed. It all came back to her now with a stinging intensity, causing
her white hands to clench hard, and her eyes to widen with a nameless
fear.

A maid entered and announced a visitor.

"I can't see anyone to-night," the woman before the fire declared,
without even turning her head.

"But----" the maid began.

"That is all, Maggie. You need not say anything more. I wish to be
left entirely alone."

The maid hesitated a few seconds before obeying the imperious command.
Then she slowly turned, and had almost reached the door when it was
suddenly pushed open and a man entered. Without a word, he stepped
past her and glided across the room toward the fire. His unexpected
appearance startled the woman crouching there. She straightened
quickly up and stared at the intruder in amazement.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "How dare you come here? Maggie, put
this man out."

But Maggie had disappeared, so the woman was left to face the man alone.

"I won't harm you, madame," he smilingly informed her, as he moved
closer to the fire and stretched put his hands. "I'm as harmless as a
kitten."

"Keep back," the woman ordered. "Don't come so close."

"Oh, I'm all right. Don't you worry about me."

Again the man smiled as he rubbed his hands together.

"I wasn't worrying about you," the woman retorted. "I would like to
see you burn yourself for your impudence."

Her fear had now vanished, and she was angry. She carefully noted the
man's slight figure, and threadbare clothes. But his face was what
attracted her most of all. It was somewhat chubby, and when the mouth
was expanded by the almost incessant smile the cheeks were wrinkled
like corrugated iron. His head was bald, save for a few tufts of hair
above the ears. His bulging eyes twinkled with good humour, causing an
observer to feel that their owner was well s