. Think of
Tom, and all else!"

"I know it," said Phil, conquering his weakness. "And such men know
what they risk when they break into the happiness of others. I could
not have lived in peace while he lived. Well, that is all behind us
now. Yonder is our coach."

We got in, and were driven to the tavern in Dean Street. We there
dismissed the coach, and Philip started afoot for the inn, in the
Strand, where our post-chaise was to be in readiness. I was to join
him there after completing the letter and leaving it at Madge's
lodgings, Philip using the mean time in attending to the posting of
certain letters of his own. We had no baggage to impede us, as we
intended to purchase new wearables in France: we had, on the previous
day, provided ourselves with money and letters of credit. My affairs
had been so arranged that neither my wife nor my mother could be
pecuniarily embarrassed by my absence. Philip's American passport,
used upon our former travels, was still in force and had been made to
include a travelling companion. So all was smoothed for our flight.

Taking my letter to the house in which Madge lived, I asked for her
maid, telling the house servant I would wait at the street door: for,
as I did not wish to meet any of the three ladies, I considered it
safer to entrust the letter to Madge's own woman. The girl came down;
but I had no sooner handed her the letter, and told her what to do
with it, than I heard Madge's voice in the hall above. She had come
out to see who wanted her maid, suspecting some trick of Falconer's;
and, leaning over the stair-rail, had recognised my voice.

"What is it, Bert? Why don't you come up?"

"I can't--I'm in haste," I blundered. "Good morning!"

"But wait! What's wrong? A moment, I entreat! Nay, you shall--!" And
at that she came tripping swiftly down the stairs. The maid,
embarrassed, handed her the letter. Without opening it, she advanced
to me, while I was wildly considering the propriety of taking to my
heels; and demanded:

"What is it you had to write? Sure 'tis your own hand. Why can't you
tell me?"

"Not so loud," I begged. "My mother and Fanny mustn't know till I am
gone."

"Gone!" With this she tore open the letter, and seemed to grasp its
general sense in a glance. "A duel! I suspected--from what Philip
said. Oh, my God, was he--?" She scanned the writing wildly, but in
her excitement it conveyed nothing to her mind.

"Captain Falconer will not annoy you agai