hile I was still confounded with surprise,
and as they passed behind a clump of trees, Mayes was gone, and I saw
his companion alone. He was a young man--an artist, it would seem, with
sketch-book and colours."

I started, and Hewitt and I glanced at each other. Peytral saw it and
paused. "Never mind," said Hewitt. "Please go on."

"After that I came out every night, in the hope of seeing my enemy
again. On several evenings I saw the young artist waiting by the barn
expectantly, but nobody joined him. I found that this young man was
lodging at a cottage in the village, and I resolved not to lose sight of
him.

"At last, on Thursday night, I saw Mayes again. Mr. Bowmore was here,
and when I left the house he troubled me much by coming after me. I was
obliged to tell him that I wished to be alone, and I was in a nervously
explosive state when I did it. He seemed reluctant to go; my anger
blazed out, and I violently ordered him off. From what he has told me it
seems that he followed me still, but lost sight of me near Penn's
Meadow. Well, be that as it may, I saw Mayes and the young artist again.
I watched from a rather awkward spot, and dusk was falling, so that I
could not see all that passed; but presently I was aware that Mayes was
making off by the road alone, and I followed him.

"From that moment I think I really was mad, though my madness did not
drive me to attack him at once. I had a feeling of curiosity to see
where he would go, and a curious cruel idea of letting him run for a
little first--as a cat feels, I suppose, with a mouse. You may judge
that I was not in my normal state of mind from the fact that all through
yesterday and part of to-day I never as much as thought of telegraphing
home to say that I had gone to London. For it was to London I followed
him. I took no ticket at the station--I got on the platform by stealth,
and entered the train unobserved, for he and one boy were the only
passengers, and I feared attracting attention. It was easy enough, in
such a station as Redfield, and I paid my fare at London. And after all
I lost him! Lost him in London!"

"How?"

"Like a fool. I saw him enter a house, and waited. Followed him again,
and waited at another. I might have flung him into the river from the
Embankment, and I refrained. And then--whether it began at a dark corner
or in a group of people I cannot tell, but I suddenly discovered that I
was following a stranger--a stranger of about Mayes