ever. We know the duplicated
condition at such times--when the existence divides itself into two, and
the ostensibly innocent chatterer stands in front, like another person,
to hide the timorous spy.

Manston played the same game, but more palpably. The meal was nearly
over when he seemed possessed of a new idea of how his object might be
accomplished. He tilted back his chair with a reflective air, and looked
steadily at the clock standing against the wall opposite to him. He said
sententiously, 'Few faces are capable of expressing more by dumb
show than the face of a clock. You may see in it every variety of
incentive--from the softest seductions to negligence to the strongest
hints for action.'

'Well, in what way?' she inquired. His drift was, as yet, quite
unintelligible to her.

'Why, for instance: look at the cold, methodical, unromantic,
business-like air of all the right-angled positions of the hands. They
make a man set about work in spite of himself. Then look at the piquant
shyness of its face when the two hands are over each other. Several
attitudes imply "Make ready." The "make ready" of ten minutes to one
differs from the "make ready" of ten minutes to twelve, as youth differs
from age. "Upward and onward" says twenty-five minutes to eleven.
Mid-day or midnight expresses distinctly "It is done." You surely have
noticed that?'

'Yes, I have.'

He continued with affected quaintness:--

'The easy dash of ten minutes past seven, the rakish recklessness of a
quarter past, the drooping weariness of twenty-five minutes past, must
have been observed by everybody.'

'Whatever amount of truth there may be, there is a good deal of
imagination in your fancy,' she said.

He still contemplated the clock.

'Then, again, the general finish of the face has a great effect upon the
eye. This old-fashioned brass-faced one we have here, with its arched
top, half-moon slit for the day of the month, and ship rocking at the
upper part, impresses me with the notion of its being an old cynic,
elevating his brows, whose thoughts can be seen wavering between good
and evil.'

A thought now enlightened her: the clock was behind her, and he wanted
to get her back turned. She dreaded turning, yet, not to excite his
suspicion, she was on her guard; she quickly looked behind her at the
clock as he spoke, recovering her old position again instantly. The time
had not been long enough for any action whatever on his part.

'Ah