and wilfully deceiving
him. His impassioned pleading had touched her heart. At a time when she
was crying out for something to satisfy her need, in an unguarded
moment, she had mistaken an awakened, fleeting impression for love, and
passed what was now in her eyes an irrevocable word. She was no
coquette, who gives a promise the one day to be carelessly withdrawn the
next. George Fordyce had been fortunate in gaining the promise of a
woman whose word was as her bond. There are circumstances in which even
such a bond may become null and void, but Gladys did not dream of the
tragedy which was to release her from her vow.

Walter felt in no haste to go home; nay, the very thought of it was
intolerable to him. He saw it all before him, in sharp contrast to
another home, which had shown him how lovely wealth and taste can make
human surroundings, and he loathed the humble shelter of the old place,
which memory hallowed only to wound, and from which the angel of hope
had now flown.

With his hand in one pocket, his hat drawn a little over his brow, he
sauntered, with heavy and reluctant step, up Renfield Street, in the
direction of Sauchiehall Street. He did not know what tempted him to
choose the opposite direction from his home. We are often so led,
apparently aimlessly, towards what may change the very current of our
lives. The streets, though quieter as he walked farther West, were by no
means deserted, and just on the stroke of eleven the people from the
theatres and public-houses made the tide of life flow again, apparently
in an endless stream. Quite suddenly, under the brilliant light thrown
by the illumination of a fashionable tavern, Walter saw standing on the
edge of the pavement, talking to another girl, his sister Liz. He could
not believe his eyes at first, for he had never credited the assertion
of Gladys that she had really seen her, but believed it had been a
mistake. But there she was, well dressed, stylish, and beautiful
exceedingly. Even in that first startled look he was struck by the
exquisite outline, of her face, the absolute purity of her colour,
except where it burned a brilliant red on her cheeks.

He stepped back into a doorway, and stood silently waiting till they
should separate, or move away. To his relief, they, separated at last,
the stranger moving towards him, Liz proceeding westward. He followed
her, keeping a few steps behind her, watching her with a detective's
eye. Once a man spoke t