'I must keep going about,' he said. 'She can't be far off; her strength,
surely, wouldn't take her far.'

Adela felt for him profoundly; for once he had not a thought of himself,
his distress was absorbing. He was on the point of leaving the house
again, when she remembered the meeting at which he was expected. She
spoke of it.

'What do I care?' he replied, waving his arm. 'Let them think what they
like. I must find Alice.'

Adela saw in a moment all that his absence would involve. He could of
course explain subsequently, but in the meantime vast harm would have
been done. It was impossible to neglect the meeting altogether. She ran
after him and stopped him on the pavement.

'I will go to this meeting for you,' she said. 'A cab will take me there
and bring me back. I will let them know what keeps you away.'

He looked at her with astonishment.

'You! How can you go? Among those men?'

'Surely I have nothing to fear from them? Have you lost all your faith
suddenly? You cannot go, but someone must. I will speak to them so that
they cannot but believe me. You continue the search; I will go.'

They stood together in the pouring rain. Mutimer caught her hand.

'I never knew what a wife could be till now,' he exclaimed hoarsely.
'And I never knew _you_!'

'Find me a cab and give the man the address. I will be ready in an
instant.'

Her cheeks were on fire; her nerves quivered with excitement. She had
made the proposal almost involuntarily; only his thanks gave her some
understanding of what she was about to do. But she did not shrink; a
man's--better still, a woman's--noblest courage throbbed in her. If need
were, she too could stand forward in a worthy cause and speak the truth
undauntedly.

The cab was bearing her away. She looked at her watch in the moment
of passing a street lamp and just saw that it was eight o'clock.
The meeting would be full by this; they would already be drawing ill
conclusions from Mutimer's absence Faster, faster! Every moment lost
increased the force of prejudice against him. She could scarcely have
felt more zeal on behalf of the man whom her soul loved. In the fever of
her brain she was conscious of a wish that even now that love could
be her husband's. Ah no, no! But serve him she could and loyally. The
lights flew by in the streets of Islington; the driver was making the
utmost speed he durst. A check among thronging vehicles anguished her.
But it was past, and here at lengt