red?"

Her eyes opened to their utmost as she uttered the word. It was as
though she could speak nothing more, for she stood staring, her clasped
hands pressed to her bosom, her dishevelled hair flowing in great masses
and framing her face with its dark folds.

"Disappeared--until to-night," he said. "This handkerchief completes the
chain of circumstances which points to Eustace as the person mainly
concerned in the robbery."

"How sad, oh, how sad, for his poor wife," she exclaimed. "Why is it,
Mr. Durham, that the woman always has to suffer while the man goes
free?"

"The man will not go free. There is a net spread for him he cannot
possibly escape. Tell me, which way did they ride?"

"You are not going after them? You must not do that--you must not face
that risk."

"Risk is the pastime of my life, Mrs. Burke. But in this there is no
risk. I shall follow their tracks until I find where they are hiding."

"No, no! You must not go. They will hear you coming; they will see you
and then--think! You, who have only just escaped them! What mercy would
they show?"

"The mercy I would show them," he answered fiercely. "They have stolen
the revolver from my belt. Will you lend me the one you have?"

"It is the only one I have. What shall I do if they come back and I am
without it?"

"Then I must go without."

He moved away, but before he had gone two steps she was at his side, her
hand on his arm, her face turned appealingly to him.

"No, you must not! Mr. Durham, I ask you. Don't go. You may be throwing
your life away. They may come back. Don't leave me alone in the place.
Don't, please don't. For my sake, for my sake, stay till it is light."

Gently he took her hand in his and lifted it from his arm.

"You who have been so brave to-night, would not have me show cowardice,"
he said softly. "These scoundrels must not remain at large a moment
longer than we can help. There is more now at stake than the bank's
money--I shall not rest till they are captured, for only then shall I
feel you are safe."

"But you must not go now."

Her disengaged hand was laid gently, caressingly, on his shoulders; her
face, showing white amid the tumbled mass of her tresses, was close to
his, so close he could feel the faint fanning of her breath and catch
the subtle perfume from her hair. The fingers of the hand he held
gripped his in a clinging, lingering clasp; the hand on his shoulder
pressed firmer; she leaned against him.