pacing his room like a caged beast, his teeth working upon the
cigar that he had never thought to light, paid no attention to the
summons until it had been repeated twice; then, with a glance around the
room, his eyes lingering for a critical instant upon the trunks, closed
now, the trays restored to their hiding places, he stepped to the door,
unlocked it, and flung it open. And at sight of Thornton, mechanically,
as second nature to him, outwardly, like a mask, there came a smile upon
his working lips, a suave, unconcerned composure to his face; while
inwardly, in his dazed, fogged brain where chaos raged, surged an
impulse to fling himself upon the other, wreck a mad vengeance upon the
man--and then swift upon the heels of this an impulse to refrain, for if
Helena was straight why should he harm Thornton--and then the shuttle
again--why should he not--hadn't Helena said that she had learned what
love was last night--and last night she had been with Thornton. How his
brain whirled! What had brought Thornton here, anyhow? If he stayed very
long perhaps he would batter Thornton to jelly after all! Quick, almost
instantaneous in their sequence came this wild jumble singing dizzily
its crazy refrain through his mind--and then to his amazement he heard
some one speaking pleasantly--and to his amazement it was himself.

"Come in, Thornton. Come in--and take a chair."

"Thanks," Thornton answered; and, entering the room, closed the door
behind him. "No; I won't sit down--I shall only remain a moment."

The lamp was on the washstand, and, intuitively again, Madison shifted
his position to bring his face into shadow--and leaned against the foot
of the bed. He stared at Thornton, nodding--Thornton's face was white
and exceedingly haggard--rather curious for Thornton to look that way!

"Madison," said Thornton abruptly, "I believe you to be a gentleman in
the best sense of the word, and because of that, and because of the
unusual circumstances that first brought us together and the mutual
interests that have since been ours, I have come to you to-night to tell
you, first, that I am going away from Needley and that I shall not
return--and then to ask a service and repose a trust in you. You have
said several times that you intended to remain here and take a personal
and active part in the work?"

Madison removed the chewed cigar end from one corner of his mouth--and
placed it in the other.

"Yes," said Madison.

"Then this