couple wended their
way slowly along the bisecting roads which lead from Kensington High
Street to Bayswater Road. The fog had slightly lessened by this time,
but it was still too dense to show anything but a dim outline of
passers-by, and the face of the stranger was but a blur against the
darkness to Betty's searching eyes. Her heart was beating rapidly; she
was praying with a whole-hearted earnestness unknown to her usual
morning and evening supplications--praying to be guided to say the right
thing to save this man's soul from despair. At last--

"You say you were not helped," she began timidly; "but if your
speculations had succeeded as you hoped, it might not have been really
good for you. It would have been easier, of course, but if all had gone
smoothly you might have been tempted to do the same thing another time.
Perhaps God knew that, and that there was no way of bringing you back to
Himself except through trouble."

The stranger laughed again--his hard, mirthless little laugh.

"I am afraid I can hardly believe in that theory. I can see no reason
for believing that my doings are the slightest interest to Him, or that
He cares in the least what becomes of me."

"Can't you!" cried Betty eagerly. "Oh, I can! Just think more
carefully, and you will remember many, many things which you have not
stopped to notice at the time. To-night, for instance! Do you think it
chance that I missed my brother, and came to you out of all the hundreds
of people who were around? _I_ don't! I believe God sent me to you
because you would not speak to anyone you knew; because you needed help
so badly--and I need it, too--and we could help each other."

The shadowy head bent nearer to hers, and the arm pressed against her
hand.

"Thank you," said the voice in a softened key; "that is a kind thought!
It is quite true that I could not have spoken as I have done under
ordinary circumstances. When I met you I was going straight for the
nearest water. There are many places where an accident might easily
occur on a night like this. I do not wish to make any scandal, only to
disappear."

Betty drew in her breath sharply. The sound of that one word "water"
gave a definite touch to the situation, and thereby trebly increased its
tragedy, but the gentleness of the voice gave her increased hope, and
she cried eagerly--

"Disappear, yes! I can understand it would be difficult to stay among
the old surroundings, but why