n a room by herself. And if I _must_ see
her, I see her with Hester Dethridge for a witness. My part's done--let
the lawyer do his."

He strolled round into the back garden, and lit his pipe. After a while,
as the twilight faded, he saw a light in Hester's sitting-room on the
ground-floor. He went to the window. Hester and the servant-girl were
both there at work. "Well?" he asked. "How about the woman up stairs?"
Hester's slate, aided by the girl's tongue, told him all about "the
woman" that was to be told. They had taken up to her room tea and an
omelet; and they had been obliged to wake her from a sleep. She had
eaten a little of the omelet, and had drunk eagerly of the tea. They had
gone up again to take the tray down. She had returned to the bed. She
was not asleep--only dull and heavy. Made no remark. Looked clean worn
out. We left her a light; and we let her be. Such was the report. After
listening to it, without making any remark, Geoffrey filled a second
pipe, and resumed his walk. The time wore on. It began to feel chilly in
the garden. The rising wind swept audibly over the open lands round the
cottage; the stars twinkled their last; nothing was to be seen overhead
but the black void of night. More rain coming. Geoffrey went indoors.

An evening newspaper was on the dining-room table. The candles were lit.
He sat down, and tried to read. No! There was nothing in the newspaper
that he cared about. The time for hearing from the lawyer was drawing
nearer and nearer. Reading was of no use. Sitting still was of no use.
He got up, and went out in the front of the cottage--strolled to the
gate--opened it--and looked idly up and down the road.

But one living creature was visible by the light of the gas-lamp over
the gate. The creature came nearer, and proved to be the postman going
his last round, with the last delivery for the night. He came up to the
gate with a letter in his hand.

"The Honorable Geoffrey Delamayn?"

"All right."

He took the letter from the postman, and went back into the dining-room.
Looking at the address by the light of the candles, he recognized the
handwriting of Mrs. Glenarm. "To congratulate me on my marriage!" he
said to himself, bitterly, and opened the letter.

Mrs. Glenarm's congratulations were expressed in these terms:

"MY ADORED GEOFFREY,--I have heard all. My beloved one! my own! you are
sacrificed to the vilest wretch that walks the earth, and I have lost
you! How is it