hich he said must be attended to personally at once.
Can you take us in, or must we go to an hotel?"

This last in the hall, to which, trembling at the meeting, Aunt Rebecca
had come down to embrace her nieces.

"Yes, yes, my dear; come in. So glad--so very glad. Mr Guest, would
you mind--the cabman?"

She handed the young man her purse, but Myra checked her.

"No, no, aunt dear; papa did see to that. So kind of you to have old
friends here as a surprise."

"No, no, my dear, an accident; and--and--they were just going away."

"Yes," said Stratton in a strange voice as he held out his hand and
gazed with agonised eyes wistfully in those which looked so calmly in
his; "we were just going--Miss Jerrold."

"Mrs Barron, Mr Stratton," said Myra quietly, with just a suspicion of
reproach in her voice, as she gave him her hand. "Papa was talking
about you the other day. I am sure he will be glad to see old friends
again."

She turned from him and shook hands with Guest, while Edie, with tears
in her eyes, approached Stratton.

"So--to see you again, Mr Stratton," she whispered, with the "glad"
inaudible, but it was of no consequence, being quite out of place.

He shook hands with her mechanically, but he did not seem to see her or
hear her words, and she caught Guest's arm.

"Get him away," she whispered. "It was madness. Pray go, for
everyone's sake."

Guest nodded, took his friend's arm, and the pair walked slowly away in
silence till Stratton uttered a low, strange laugh, and as Guest met his
wild eyes:

"No, old fellow," he said quietly. "I am not going mad--unless it was
madness to obey the promptings of my poor, weak nature. Better come
with me to my rooms, for something seems to keep on asking me if life is
not all one great mistake."

Meanwhile at Miss Jerrold's house, the moment the door was closed, Myra
had caught wildly at her cousin's hand.

"Quick!" she cried in a hoarse whisper, "take me to our room," and with
wild energy she hurried her cousin upstairs to close and lock the door
before she gave vent to the wild, hysterical burst of agony that was
struggling for exit.

"So cruel--so heartless," she sobbed as she paced the floor, wringing
her hands and rejecting every attempt at consolation on her cousin's
part. "He must have known. Oh, it's maddening."

"Myra, be calm, be calm."

"Calm!" cried Myra wildly, "it is not possible. Do you think me made of
stone instead of flesh and b