e he had set
it down.

There was again silence, and then it seemed to Capel, as he sat there,
that the nocturnal visitor had made the table a starting-point for a
fresh departure in the dark, and was going from him toward the back
drawing-room, in the left hand corner of which the old lawyer had sat
that night.

Doubtless there are people who can weigh every act before they commit
themselves to it, but the majority of us, even the most thoughtful, go
on weighing a great many, and then in the most important moments of our
lives forget all about the balance or the mental weights and scales, and
so it was that, all in an instant, Paul Capel, unable longer to bear the
mental strain, rose quickly from his seat, took two strides forward, and
grasped at the intruder, exclaiming:

"Who's there?"

He touched nothing, he heard nothing, and the old chill came back for a
moment or two with its superstitious suggestions; but he drew out a
little silver match-box, which rattled as he opened it, shook a match
into his moist hand, struck it, and the faint little star of light
flashed out.

"Katrine, you here?" he exclaimed.

There were candles on an occasional table, and he lit one before the
little wax match burned down, and then he remained speechless for the
moment, gazing at Katrine D'Enghien, who stood within the back
drawing-room, her long hair loosely knotted on her neck, her white arms
outstretched before her, and half away from him. She stood motionless,
as if turned to stone.

"Katrine!" he cried again.

He took a step or two towards her, his first impulse being to clasp her
in his arms; but, as she stood motionless before him, draped in a long
grey peignoir that swept the ground, there was something about her that
repelled him, so that he stood staring at her unable to speak.

Suddenly she turned from him, and stood gazing at the corner where the
piano stood, walked slowly towards it, and rested her hand upon it,
remaining there motionless for a few moments till, catching up the
candle, Capel went towards her, his pulses throbbing, and his temples
seeming to flush as if a hot breath from a furnace had passed over them.

But before he reached her she turned slowly, and walked straight towards
him, her eyes wide open, and gazing intently before her.

She would have walked right upon him, had he not given way, and then
stood holding the candle, while she went deliberately to the fire-place,
rested her hands upon