in
the day before I try to see Mr Swinton again. There's no special
hurry."

"You are not looking very well," said John gravely. "It would be as
wise for you to wait a while and refresh yourself. I'll go with you a
bit of the way."

They went back together till they came to the door of the inn. John
refused Brownrig's invitation to enter, and left him there. Then he
took his way to Robert's lodgings. Robert had not returned.

"Can they be lingering yet?" said John to himself. "I must see that
they are fairly away."

In the street opposite the house where Mrs Esselmont had stayed, no
carriage was standing. John slowly passed the house and turned again,
waiting for a while. Then he went toward the office. Looking in at the
inn parlour on his way thither, he saw Brownrig sitting with a friend.
There were a bottle and glasses between them, and judging that he was
"safe enough for the present," John went to his work. Brownrig paid
another visit to Mr Swinton the next day, but nothing was definitely
arranged between them as to the work which was to be done, and in a day
or two he went away.

It must be owned that it went ill with John Beaton about this time. He
had been in the way of saying to himself, and of saying to others also,
whom he wished to influence, that the thing which a man desired with all
his heart to do, that he could do. Of course he meant only such things
as were not in their nature impossible to be done. But after a while he
was not so sure of himself.

While Brownrig had lingered in the town, John had been more or less
occupied with thoughts of him. He had kept sight of him at most times.
He had known where he was and what he was doing, and in what company.
He had done this for the sake of Allison Bain, declaring to himself that
whatever might be done to prevent her falling into the hands of the man
who called her his wife, it was right for him to do.

But Brownrig showed no sign of knowing that Allison had been in the
town, and in a few days he turned his face homeward again.

Then John had time to attend to his own affairs, and it went ill with
him for a while. He faced his trouble like a man, and "had it out with
himself," as he might have "had it out" with friend or foe, with whom a
battle was to be fought for the sake of assured peace to come after.

Yes, he loved Allison Bain--loved her so well that he had been willing
to sacrifice a hopeful future at home, and begin a life