hought of punishment quite overshadowed a previous dread as to
how he was going to provide for Phoebe and himself up to the time of
assuming the job in Davis' drug store. He had long since come to the
conclusion that if Nellie persisted in carrying out her plan to
divorce him he could not conscientiously accept help from her, nor
could he expect to retain custody of the child unless by his own
efforts he made suitable provision for her. His one great hope in the
face of this particular difficulty had rested on the outcome of the
visit to her apartment, the miserable result of which we know. Not
only had he upset all of his fondest calculations, but he had heaped
unthinkable ruin in the place he had set aside for them.

There was nothing consoling in the situation, no matter how he looked
at it. More than once he regretted the emptiness of that confounded
cylinder. If there had been a single bullet in the thing his troubles
would now be over. Pleasing retrospect! But not for all the money in
the world would he again subject himself to a similar risk.

It made him shudder to even think of it. It was hard enough for him to
realise that he had had the monumental courage to try it on that never
to be forgotten occasion. As a matter of fact, he was rather proud of
it, which wouldn't have been at all possible if he had succeeded in
the cowardly attempt.

Suppose, thought he with a qualm--suppose there had been a bullet! It
was now Saturday. His funeral would be held on Saturday. By Saturday
night he would be in a grave--a lonesome, desolate grave. Nellie would
have seen to that, so that she could get away on Sunday. Ugh! It was
most unpleasant!

The day advanced. His spirits were rising. If nothing happened between
then and midnight he was reasonably secure from arrest.

But in the middle of the day the blow fell. Not the expected blow, but
one that stunned him and left him more miserable than anything else in
the world could have done.

There came a polite knock at the door. Annie admitted a
pleasant-faced, rather ceremonious young man, who said he had business
of the utmost importance to transact with Mr.--Mr.--He glanced at a
paper which he drew from his pocket, and supplying the name asked if
the gentleman was in.

Harvey was tiptoeing toward the dining-room, with Phoebe at his heels,
when the stranger entered the library.

"Pardon me," called the young man, with what seemed to Harvey
unnecessary haste and emphas