she spoke he heard wheels grinding the stones in the upper lane, the
shriek of the brake grinding the wheel, and the shuffling of men's feet
on the flagged yard outside.

He shut the door and faced her, making his last stand.

"You know what you're going back to."

"I know."

"To suffer," he said, "and to cause suffering--to
one--two--three--innocent people."

"No. Things will be different."

"They won't. _We_ shall be the same."

She shook her head a little helplessly.

"At any rate," he said, "_you_ won't be different."

"If I could--if I only could be----"

"But you can't. You know you can't."

"I can--if I give it up--once for all."

"What? Your divine genius?"

"Whatever it is. When I've killed that part of me I shall be all right.
I mean--_they_'ll be all right."

"You can't kill it. You can starve it, drug it, paralyze it, but you
can't kill it. It's stronger than you. You'll go through hell--I know
it, I've been there--you'll be like a drunkard trying to break himself
of the drink habit."

"Yes. But some day I shall break myself, or be broken; and there'll be
peace."

"_Will_ there!"

"There'll be something."

She rose. The wheels sounded nearer, and stopped. The gate of the
farmyard opened. The feet of the men were at the door.

LXIV

Whatever Tanqueray thought of Brodrick's chill, it and the fear it
inspired in Gertrude had been grave enough to keep him in the house. For
three days (the last of September) he had not been in Fleet Street, in
his office.

There was agitation there, and agitation in the mind of the editor and
of his secretary. Tanqueray's serial was running its devastating course
through the magazine, and the last instalment of the manuscript was
overdue (Tanqueray was always a little late with his instalments).
Brodrick was worried, and Gertrude, at work with him in his study, tried
to soothe him. They telephoned to the office for the manuscript. The
manuscript was not there. The clerk suggested that it was probably still
with the type-writer, Miss Ranger. They telephoned to Miss Ranger, who
replied that the manuscript had been typed and sent to the author three
weeks ago for revision.

Brodrick sent a messenger to Tanqueray's house for the manuscript. He
returned towards evening with a message that Mrs. Tanqueray was out, Mr.
Tanqueray was in the country and the servant did not know his address.

They telegraphed to Addy Ranger's rooms for his address. Th