nk down on one, her heart beating like a drum, her ears strained
to hear her pursuer pass. Instead, to her horror, she heard the gate
briskly unlatched and footsteps on the path. Terrified by this
unexpected move, and sure, now, that the end had come, she sprang to
her feet and stood waiting like a straight, grey ghost for the man to
enter the veranda. The light above the hall door fell full on him, and
it is hard to say whether dismay or horror were strongest in her when
she recognized Harlenden.

"Denis!" she stammered.

"Why are you here, Rosanne?" he asked quietly. "Do you need me?"

Astonishment kept her dumb for a moment, then, with a realization of
the position, came anger.

"How dare you follow me?" she exclaimed, in a low, tense voice.

"I live in this house."

"_You live here?_" she faltered, and sat down suddenly, trembling from
head to foot.

"Yes; and I have just returned from the club."

"Then it was _not_ you following me?"

At that she sprang up and threw herself into his arms in a frenzy of
fear.

"Who was it, then? Oh, Denis, Denis, save me; take me into your
house--hide me!"

"Hush!" he said gently, and, keeping a supporting arm about her, guided
her round the veranda, took a key out of his pocket, and let her and
himself in by a side door. He closed and locked the door behind them,
put her into a chair, then examined the window to make sure it was
closed as well as shuttered. It was a man's sitting-room, full of the
scent of leather and tobacco. Going to a spirit-stand on the table he
poured out some brandy.

"Drink this," he said, in the same firm tone he had used all along, and
mechanically she obeyed him.

"Where are we?" she murmured. "Whose house is this? I thought you
lived at the club?"

"So I did until last week, when this house was lent me. Don't be
afraid. The servants are all in bed, and there is no one about. You
are much safer here than roaming about the streets at one in the
morning."

"Then you _were_ following me?"

"Certainly I was following you. I saw you come out of Syke Ravenal's
shop and I walked behind you, but only because your way and mine
happened to be in the same direction."

She passed her hand over her eyes with a hopeless gesture. It seemed
as though this endless day of terrors and surprises would never be
done, and she was weary, weary. He sat regarding her with grave eyes.
She looked like a little, tired, unhappy child, and his h