ace to a gentle, womanly
look of sorrow and reproach as she hurried back to where Stratton stood
with his back to the table, grasping its edge, while the objects thereon
trembled and tottered from the motion communicated by the man's
quivering muscles.

"Heaven forgive you, Malcolm Stratton!" she said slowly. "I cannot now.
I am going back to her. Man, you have broken the heart of as true and
sweet a woman as ever lived."

Stratton did not stir, but stood there bent, and as if crushed,
listening to the rustle of his visitor's rich silk, as she hurried back
to her brother; then the door was opened, closed upon them, and a dead
silence reigned in Stratton's study, as he and Guest stood listening to
the faint sound of the descending steps till they had completely died
away.

Then Guest turned to his friend:

"Now," he said coldly, "give me your arm. No; stop. Where are your
keys?"

Stratton raised his head sharply.

"Where are your keys?"

"What for?"

"I want to get the spirits to give you a dram."

"No, no," said Stratton firmly. "Now go!"

"Of course," said Guest bitterly. "That's my way when you're in
trouble. You miserable fool! You madman!" he roared, flashing out
suddenly with passion. "What is it? Two years ago, when I came here
and found you with that cyanide bottle on the table, and the glass ready
with its draught, I stopped you then, you coward. This time you were
alone to attempt your wretched work."

Stratton glared at him wildly.

"And here have we all been scared to death, fearing that you had been
attacked. The admiral said you were a miserable coward, and you are.
Where is your manhood? Where is your honour, to carry on like this with
poor Myra till the last moment, and then do this? Hang it, man, why
didn't you aim straight and end it, instead of bringing us to such a
pitiful scene as this?"

Stratton drew his breath hard.

"There, I've done. It's jumping, as he said, on a fallen man. But I
was obliged to speak. Now, then, those keys."

"Go!" cried Stratton sternly. "Go. Leave me!"

"To play some other mad prank? Not I. I want those keys to get out the
brandy."

"I tell you no--no."

"Very well. It was to save you from fainting. Faint then, and be
hanged. Give me your arm."

"Will you go?" cried Stratton fiercely.

"Yes, when you are on your bed, and then only to the door to call
someone--"

"What?"

"To fetch the nearest doctor. Come along."

"