, running lightly up the last few steps, he crept unobserved behind
Stratton, and laid a hand upon his shoulder just as he was thrusting a
latchkey into the lock.

Stratton gave a violent start, but did not turn round. He only uttered
a low sigh.

"Very well," he said. "I have been expecting you for weeks."

"Stratton!" cried Guest reproachfully, and his friend turned slowly
round so haggard and aged a countenance that Guest was startled.

"You?" said Stratton, with a curious, dazed look around, as if for
someone else whom he had expected to see there.

"I thought--I thought--" He paused, and then after an interval: "Well,
you have found me. What do you want?"

Guest did not reply for the moment, but looked sharply from his friend
to the door and back.

"There is someone in there!" he said to himself; "and for Myra's sake I
will know the truth."

Then aloud:

"Take me into your room; we can't talk here."

Stratton made a quick movement before the door as if to keep him back.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

ARCH PLOTTERS.

Stratton opened the door without a word. Guest followed him in, to find
himself in a plainly furnished sitting room, beyond which seemed to be
the bedroom, while the two windows looked out westward over the Thames.

There was no sign of feminine occupation, and Guest felt staggered.

"Well," said Stratton bitterly, "you do not answer me. What do you
want?"

"You to be the same fellow I always knew. Why have you come here?"

"You are inquisitorial, but I'll answer: Because it suits me. My rooms
yonder are dark and depressing. I am ill, and want to sit here and
breathe the fresh air and think. Is there anything wonderful in that?"

"No; but you need not play hide-and-seek with your friends."

"I have no friends," said Stratton coldly. "I am not the first man who
ever took to a solitary life. It suits my whim. Now, please go and
leave me to myself."

"Very well," said Guest, after a momentary hesitation; and he rose.
"You have no friends?" he said.

"None."

"Well, I have," said Guest. "You are one of them, and you'll tell me
I'm right some day."

Stratton did not take the hand extended to him, and Guest went out by no
means disconcerted, but contented and pleased with his day's work.

"Something to tell Edie," he said to himself joyously; and he hurried up
to the admiral's to communicate his news.

"That's a step forward," the girl cried eagerly; "now you must go o