ow
he was out for good. The police watched and waited all night, and all
the next day; they waited and watched for a week, and the house was
under observation after that, but Myatt never returned. He had made his
plans, it was plain, for just such a flight, whenever the necessity
might arise; and when he was assured that danger threatened, he simply
vanished in the dark of a London night. Search brought no
information--not a scrap of telltale paper lay in Calton Lodge--not a
letter, not a line. Though, indeed, the police were to see more of
Myatt's work yet--and so was Hewitt.

Dr. Lawson's detention did not last the night out. The unhappy Mason had
indeed sent to him, by a chance messenger, having grown desperate in
long waiting for the return of Gipps from the rectory. Mason was ready
to call in any aid, to recall any of the friendships he had sacrificed
in the past. But Lawson was long in coming, having received the note
after a long professional round, and when at last he arrived, Mason was
a little reassured by the promise of Hewitt's visit. Therefore, he did
not tell the doctor so much as he might have done. Nevertheless, he
talked wildly and vaguely, so that Dr. Lawson feared some disturbance of
his reason. The doctor quieted and soothed him, however, and when he
left he promised to return after his consultation hour at the surgery
was over. He must have been watched away from the house, and then the
blow fell that sealed for ever the lips of Jacob Mason.

Poor Miss Creswick was taken from the old house in which she could no
longer remain, and for a few months she stayed at the rectory, tended
lovingly by the rector's excellent wife--stayed there, in fact, till her
wedding-day, which took place early the next year; so that for her and
Dr. Lawson the tragedy ended in happiness, after all.

* * * * *

"God forgive me," cried the rector in the grey of the morning, when
it became clear that Myatt had escaped--"God forgive me! Through my
stupidity a horrible creature has been set loose in the world to work
his diabolical will afresh!"

"Never mind," said Hewitt. "It was not stupidity, Mr. Potswood--nothing
but your openness of character. You were not trained to the cunning that
we must use in my profession. And there will be more than Myatt to
take--he was not alone! It is plain that Mason was found to be wavering
in whatever horrible allegiance he had bound himself, and he was
wat