his duty
plainly,--if Ellen had "backslidden," he must give her another trial.
These were his articles of faith. He should not put her away; but she
should nevermore be wife to him. It was HE who had tempted her, it was
true; perhaps God would forgive her for that reason, but HE could never
love her again.

The fury of the storm had somewhat abated as he reached the wood. The
fire was still there, but no longer a leaping flame. A dull glow in
the darkness of the forest aisles was all that indicated its position.
Rylands at once plunged in that direction; he was near enough to see the
red embers when he heard a sharp click, and a voice called:--

"Hold up!"

Mr. Hamlin was a light sleeper. The crackle of underbrush had been
enough to disturb him. The voice was his; the click was the cocking of
his revolver.

Rylands was no coward, but halted diplomatically.

"Now, then," said Mr. Hamlin's voice, "a little more this way, IN THE
LIGHT, if you please!"

Rylands moved as directed, and saw Mr. Hamlin lying before the fire,
resting easily on one hand, with his revolver in the other.

"Thank you!" said Jack. "Excuse my precautions, but it is night, and
this is, for the present, my bedroom."

"My name is Rylands; you called at my house this afternoon and saw my
wife," said Rylands slowly.

"I did," said Hamlin. "It was mighty kind of you to return my call so
soon, but I didn't expect it."

"I reckon not. But I know who you are, and that you are an old associate
of hers, in the days of her sin and unregeneration. I want you to answer
me, before God and man, what was your purpose in coming there to-day?"

"Look here! I don't think it's necessary to drag in strangers to hear my
answer," said Jack, lying down again, "but I came to borrow a horse."

"Is that the truth?"

Jack got upon his feet very solemnly, put on his hat, drew down his
waistcoat, and approached Mr. Rylands with his hands in his pockets.

"Mr. Rylands," he said, with great suavity of manner, "this is the
second time today that I have had the honor of having my word doubted by
your family. Your wife was good enough to question my assertion that I
didn't know that she was living here, but that was a woman's vanity. You
have no such excuse. There is my horse yonder, lame, as you may see. I
didn't lame him for the sake of seeing your wife nor you."

There was that in Mr. Hamlin's audacity and perfect self-possession
which, even while it irritated, ne