upon the man's very grave? He hoped this. He had brought himself
almost to believe it; but for all that, fear and uneasiness were
becoming more and more his portion, and he did not like to dwell even in
thought upon that night's adventures. He walked on fast. He disliked
cabs, and never took them. One of his great secrets of health was
exercise, and plenty of it; but he was rather in a hurry; he had an
appointment in town for a comparatively early hour, and he wanted to
call at his club for letters. He reached his destination, entered the
building, and found a little pile awaiting him. He turned slowly into
the reading-room to read them. One after the other he tore them open.
They were not very interesting, and a rapid glance of his quick, deep
eye was sufficient to enable him to master the contents. In ten minutes
he had but one letter left to read, and that was in a strange
handwriting. "Another begging epistle," he said to himself. He felt
inclined to tear it up without going to the trouble of opening it. He
had very nearly slipped it into his pocket, to take its chance at some
future time, for he remembered that he was already late. Finally he did
neither; he opened the letter and read it where he sat. This was what
his eyes rested on--

10, TREMINS ROAD, KENTISH TOWN.
SIR:--

According to your wish I write to you at your club. My wife
returned from Torquay last night, and I told her of your visit and
your proposal. She desires me to say, and this I do, both from her
and myself, that she will not accept your offer, for reasons which
we neither of us care to explain. We do not wish for the three
thousand pounds you are willing to settle on my wife.

I remain, sir,
Yours faithfully,
ANGUS HOME.

_To_ JASPER HARMAN, ESQ.

This letter fell from the hands of Jasper. His lips came a little apart,
and a new look of terror came into his eyes. So absorbed was he, so
thoroughly frightened by this letter, that he forgot where he was. He
neither saw the looks of surprise, nor heard the words of astonishment
made by those about him. Finally he gathered up envelope and paper and
hurried out. As he walked down the street he looked by no means so young
as he had done when he got up that morning. His hat was put on crooked,
his very gait was uncertain. Jasper had got a shock. Being utterly
unable to read the minds of the people who had written to him, he could
but i