ong the river.

"Though at first dreadfully shocked and nearly dead with fright, my
curiosity grew with each watch. Uncle Thomas refused longer indulgence,
except at rare intervals.

"Before our arrival at London that assistant had followed Paul to
Northfield.

"Paul's conduct there had been strange, but he seemed desirous of
learning the whereabouts of you and Esther.

"Later, Paul again visited Northfield, and I witnessed some of his
actions. Uncle Thomas, the assistant, and I were hidden in thick
shrubbery near the spot where Northfield visitors often sat along the
lake. Paul had been skulking through the woods, but could not see us.
Between us and him was that steep ravine. Suddenly Paul struck a tragic
pose, lifted his right hand, advanced a few steps, then slowly stepped
backward out of sight beyond a cluster of bushes.

"These movements, though very startling, were followed by still greater
surprises.

"Soon out of leafy stillness came quotations from that poem partly
declaimed by me at Bombay.

"Such utterances at that time and place from this crazed outlaw,
reiterated with madman's unction, were horrible.

"After repetition of phrases, 'buried from my sight,' 'and trodden down
with stones,' Paul hesitated, as if pondering the improbability of such
fate to his victims' mortal remains; then broke out in a hysterical
laugh.

"I was eager, and prompted:

"'And years have rotted off his flesh,'

"Paul turned, facing that way, uttered terrible curses, gave a crazed
yell of fear, and stood staring into vacancy, when in deep gutturals I
repeated:

"'The world shall see his bones.'

"At this Paul staggered, made wild thrusts with his dagger in direction
whence came these promptings, and then fled.

"On the next train, watched by that assistant, Paul returned to London.

"Uncle Thomas and I saw you with Esther rowing upon the lake. This was
just after Paul's flight. Until then we did not know of your return from
Calcutta.

"I felt a growing interest in Paul's Thames tableaus. One night Uncle
Thomas allowed me to watch with him along the river-bank. Paul takes his
usual row up the Thames. We are hiding in some shrubbery beyond the
rustic seat. Paul's boat arrives opposite that point in the river, and
he repeats former performances.

"After steadying the boat with an oar, holding in set teeth that
gleaming dagger, moving back and forth across the river, peering over at
watery reflections, and making