ut into the night.

* * * * *

Faith never knew how the hours of that dreadful night passed away. When
daylight came she found herself in her own room, sitting on the side of
the bed, staring down at the floor.

She felt incapable of thought or action; mind and body seemed frozen
with a great horror.

Last night seemed like some terrible madness. She was sure she must have
been mad.

Forrester had not come home, she knew, for her ears had been strained
all night for the sound of his step.

When the maid brought early tea she cried out when she saw Faith.

"Oh, ma'am! What has happened? Miss Fraser's not in her room, nor the
master...."

Faith tried to answer, but no words would come, and, touched by the
white suffering of her face, the maid tried to persuade her to lie down.

But Faith only said, "Leave me alone ... leave me alone," till at last
she was taken at her word, and the girl went downstairs to whisper and
tremble with the other maids in the kitchen.

Forrester came in about eleven o'clock. He brought Mr. Shawyer with him,
and went straight to his study and shut the door.

Faith's room was immediately above it, and she could hear their voices
for some time--talking, talking.

Presently the maid came tapping at her door.

"Can Mr. Shawyer speak to you, please, ma'am?"

Faith rose mechanically and went downstairs and into the study.

Forrester was not there, but the lawyer rose from his seat at the table
as she entered. His face was cold and stern, but it softened a little
as he looked at her, and he held out his hand.

"Come and sit down." He spoke gently, as if to a child, but Faith shook
her head.

"What do you want me for?"

He did not answer at once, and she asked dully:

"Is it true that Peg--Peg is ... dead? Or--or did I dream it?"

"It is quite true," Mr. Shawyer said.

Her brown eyes searched his face.

"She died saving your husband's life, Mrs. Forrester. He was waylaid by
a gang of roughs, and...."

Faith made a little silencing gesture. The blood had rushed back to her
white face; she did not want to hear any more. Peg had saved the Beggar
Man's life. It gave her a stab of bitterest jealousy.

"Well ... well, what do you want me for?" she asked again presently.

Mr. Shawyer hated the task that had been entrusted to him.

"Your husband asked me to see you," he said reluctantly. "He wished me
to tell you that he is ... going abroad as soon