yra and I ever meet again, I can take her hand and look her calmly in
the eyes. I know my position now; and, thank God, I am once more a
man--free from the great horror of my life. Now, tell me. The man
recovered from his wound?"

"Yes," said Brettison, looking at Stratton curiously, "he is quite
recovered from that; only much changed."

"You have seen him lately, then?" cried Stratton eagerly.

"Yes; not many hours since."

"Brettison!"

"Yes? Why do you start like that?"

"Then you have not handed him over to the authorities?"

"No. Why should I?"

"Man, you ask me that? You leave him free to go yonder and make her
life a burden?"

"I did not say so," replied Brettison calmly. "Suppose I had handed the
man over to the authorities, what then? The news would have been in
every paper of the convict's marvellous escape from death. Pleasant
reading for the Bourne Square breakfast table. Surely that poor girl
has suffered enough?"

Stratton gazed at him wildly.

"I thought it all out, and I said to myself: `James Dale, or Barron,
died that night to the world, when he escaped from the convict prison.
Why should I bring him to life? For everyone's sake, let him be dead
still.'"

"Impossible!" cried Stratton. "The man will take advantage of his
freedom, and Myra's position must become intolerable. You have done
wrong, sir. He must be given up at once."

"But the knowledge of what has passed must reach Myra's ears, and the
pain and agony of spirit it will cause will be more than she can bear."

Stratton groaned.

"And don't you see you are cutting the last piece of ground from beneath
your feet--letting yourself sink at once into a slough of despond?"

"Don't tempt me, man!" cried Stratton angrily. "Heaven knows how weak I
am, and how gladly I would fall in with your ideas, but they are
impossible. You must be mad to propose them."

"Perhaps so," said Brettison. "I often think I must be a little
wanting, now. But, Malcolm, my boy, think of yourself. If Myra knows
that this man is still living, she will never see you again."

"Never," said Stratton firmly; "but she will get to know the reason of
my conduct on that day, and I shall be forgiven for playing the part I
did. She will know all this and forgive me. That is my reward. I tell
you, I accept my position. James Barron must be given up."

"You are determined upon that?"

"Yes. It was my decision that morning before the strugg