took that of the woman. They stood
together with the sunshine on their faces. The Professor paused at the
casement with his hands behind his back, and his long black shadow fell
between them.

"You have come to a wise decision," said he. "Go back to Australia
together, and let what has passed be blotted out of your lives."

"But you--you----" stammered O'Brien.

The Professor waved his hand.

"Never trouble about me," he said.

The woman gave a gasping cry.

"What can I do or say?" she wailed. "How could I have foreseen this?
I thought my old life was dead. But it has come back again, with all
its hopes and its desires. What can I say to you, Ainslie? I have
brought shame and disgrace upon a worthy man. I have blasted your
life. How you must hate and loathe me! I wish to God that I had never
been born!"

"I neither hate nor loathe you, Jeannette," said the Professor,
quietly. "You are wrong in regretting your birth, for you have a
worthy mission before you in aiding the life-work of a man who has
shown himself capable of the highest order of scientific research. I
cannot with justice blame you personally for what has occurred. How
far the individual monad is to be held responsible for hereditary and
engrained tendencies, is a question upon which science has not yet said
her last word."

He stood with his finger-tips touching, and his body inclined as one
who is gravely expounding a difficult and impersonal subject. O'Brien
had stepped forward to say something, but the other's attitude and
manner froze the words upon his lips. Condolence or sympathy would be
an impertinence to one who could so easily merge his private griefs in
broad questions of abstract philosophy.

"It is needless to prolong the situation," the Professor continued, in
the same measured tones. "My brougham stands at the door. I beg that
you will use it as your own. Perhaps it would be as well that you
should leave the town without unnecessary delay. Your things,
Jeannette, shall be forwarded."

O'Brien hesitated with a hanging head.

"I hardly dare offer you my hand," he said.

"On the contrary. I think that of the three of us you come best out of
the affair. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Your sister----"

"I shall see that the matter is put to her in its true light.
Good-bye! Let me have a copy of your recent research. Good-bye,
Jeannette!"

"Good-bye!"

Their hands met, and for one short moment th