t to one of
the theatres.

Myra had taken Guest's arm at a whisper from her cousin, who followed
close behind, and, before long, the young barrister was well aware of
her agitation and weakness, for, as they reached the upper entrance to
the inn, she leaned more and more heavily upon his arm, and, after a few
more paces, clung to him and stopped.

"Tired?" he said gently; "we are nearly there."

She tried to speak, but no words would come; he could feel, though, that
she was trembling violently, and Edie pressed to her side.

"Courage," she murmured; and her voice seemed to calm Myra, who drew a
deep breath, and tried to walk firmly the rest of the way; while Edie
began to hope Stratton would be absent, for she dreaded the scene.

But fate was against her this time. The meeting she had struggled to
bring about was to be, for Guest turned to her and whispered over his
shoulder:

"There is a light in his room; he is at home."

There was not a soul visible as they crossed the little, silent,
ill-paved courtyard, with its few flickering gas lamps and the buildings
around standing up blank and bare, for the most part solitary and
deserted looking, for hardly a blind showed a light behind.

Half-way along by the railings, beneath the great plane trees, a man was
standing; and, as he took a step out into the light of the nearest lamp,
Guest felt that Myra was ready to drop. But a whispered word or two
roused her to make the last effort, and the next minute they were in the
doorway; with the stone stairs looking dim and strange, visible where
they stood, but gradually fading into the darkness above.

Guest stopped short in obedience to a pressure upon his arm, and Myra
supported herself by grasping the great wooden balustrade, while Edie
uttered a sigh, and their escort began to feel some doubt as to the
result of their mission, and wonder whether it was wise to have come,
even going so far as to feel that he should not be sorry if his
companions drew back.

Just then Edie whispered a few words to her cousin, who seemed to be
spurred by them to fresh exertion, and, bearing hard upon Guest's arm
once more, she ascended the silent staircase to the first floor, where
Guest led them a little aside into Brettison's entry, while he went to
reconnoitre.

All was dark, apparently, and he began to be in doubt as to whether
Stratton really was there, when, to his great delight, he found that
fate had favoured their visit,