h fear,
in spite of his strong self-command. "Are you ill? Do you know what
you're saying?"

Julian rose and made an effort to control himself.

"I know what I'm saying, Waymark I've only just heard it. She has come
back home from somewhere--only just now--she seems to have been
drinking. It happened in the middle of the day, whilst I was at the
hospital. She gave her in charge to a policeman in the street, and a
brooch was found on her."

"A brooch found on her? Your wife's?"

"Yes. When she came in, she railed at me like a fury, and charged me
with the most monstrous things. I can't and won't go back there
to-night! I shall go mad if I hear her voice. I will walk about the
streets till morning."

"And you tell me that Ida Starr is in custody?"

"She is. My wife accuses her of stealing several things."

"And you believe this?" asked Waymark, under his voice, whilst his
thoughts pictured Ida's poverty, of which he had known nothing, and led
him through a long train of miserable sequences.

"I don't know. I can't say. She says that Ida confessed, and, gave the
brooch up at once. But her devilish malice is equal to anything. I see
into her character as I never did before. Good God, if you could have
seen her face as she told me! And Ida, Ida! I am afraid of myself,
Waymark. If I had stayed to listen another moment, I should have struck
her. It seemed as if every vein was bursting. How am I ever to live
with her again? I dare not! I should kill her in some moment of
madness! What will happen to Ida?"

He flung himself upon the couch, and burst into tears. Sobs convulsed
him; he writhed in an anguish of conflicting passions. Waymark seemed
scarcely to observe him, standing absorbed in speculation and the
devising of a course to be pursued.

"I must go to the police-station," he said at length, when the violence
of the paroxysm had passed and left Julian in the still exhaustion of
despair. "You, I think, had better stay here. Is there any danger of
her coming to seek you?"

Julian made a motion with his hand, otherwise lay still, his pale face
turned upwards.

"I shall be back very quickly," Waymark added, taking his hat. Then,
turning back for a moment, "You mustn't give way like this, old fellow;
this is horrible weakness. Dare I leave you alone?"

Julian stretched out his hand, and Waymark pressed it.

CHAPTER XXIV

JUSTICE

Waymark received from the police a confirmation of all that Julian h