. He
placed the key on the hall table. He folded his coat and laid it with
his cap on a chair. Stealthily he advanced along the dark and silent
hall to the stairway.

At the sound of his automobile Bella had half arisen. She waited
attentively, but when for some time no sound followed, she walked to the
window, raised it, and leaned out, striving unsuccessfully to penetrate
the heavy night.

A board creaked in the corridor outside her door.

She swung around, her hand at her throat.

"John!"

Complete silence followed. Unless something out of all reckoning had
occurred, her husband could not be back. None of the servants would have
used an automobile. Then who prowled about the unlighted house and
hesitated in the vicinity of her door?

"John!"

The formlessness of her cry unveiled her fear.

The knob moved. Inch by inch the door opened, and, inch by inch, as if
impelled by a perfectly controlled impulse from the door widening on the
intruder, she retreated until the wall held her.

"Freddy!" she gasped.

He stepped in and closed the door. It could scarcely have been apparent
to her all at once how much he had been drinking, for, although his face
was flushed, the event justified that, and he had evidently forced on
himself for the moment a supreme control. Yet her relief was
short-lived. To be sure she could leave the wall and advance to meet
him, yet, as if the room possessed a phonographic quality, it was still
loud with her husband's anxiety and her own contemptuous promises.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in? Go before--This is out of
the question."

His hand left the knob.

"It's all right, Bella. Needn't be afraid. Randall's out of the way. He
won't bother us to-night."

"Then you know about Mrs. Hanson?" she asked.

He nodded sagely.

"I know a lot."

"You can't stay here," she said. "Go."

He stretched out his hands.

"Then you shall come with me. That's the scheme. Been in the back of my
head all along. We'll show a clean pair of heels. Time something
definite happened. Bella!--you know--how I love you."

A slight impediment, unfamiliar to the startled woman, made itself
noticeable in his voice. His control was limited. Already his true
condition disclosed itself. Fear as powerful as that which had greeted
his stealthy approach returned to her eyes.

"You know I won't come with you, Freddy. Perhaps later things will be
arranged. John and I had a talk to-night."

His