e said at last, with a sigh of relief.
"That horror has been taken from my load, and I will, as a man, fight
hard to meet whatever comes. Heaven knows my innocence, and will find
me strength to bear it all; and, perhaps, some day, give me--give her
forgetfulness and rest."

He looked sharply up and listened, for he fancied that he heard a sound;
but a step faintly beating on the paving outside seemed to accord with
it, and he went on musing again about Brettison, wondering where he
could be, and how he could contrive to keep hidden away from him as he
did.

"If we could only meet," he said, half aloud--"only stand face to face
for one short hour, how different my future might be."

"No," he said aloud, after a thoughtful pause, "how can I say that?
_L'homme propose et Dieu dispose_. We are all bubbles on the great
stream of life."

He half started from his chair, listening again, for he felt convinced
that he heard a sound outside his doors, and going across, he opened
them softly and looked out, but the grim, ill-lit staircase and the hall
below were blank and silent, and satisfied that he had been mistaken, he
went back to his seat to begin musing again, till once more there was a
faint sound, and as he listened he became conscious of a strange,
penetrating odour of burning.

Stratton's face grew ghastly with the sudden emotion that had attacked
him, and for a few moments he sat trembling, and unable to stir from his
seat.

"At last!" he said in a whisper; "at last!" and, conscious that the time
had come for which he had longed and toiled so hard, he felt that the
opportunity was about to slip away, for he would be unable to bear the
encounter, if not too much prostrated by his emotion to rise from his
seat.

It was only a trick of the nerves, which passed off directly; and he
rose then, firm and determined, to cross gently to first one and then
the other door by his mantelpiece, where he stood, silent and intent,
breathing deeply.

Yes; there was no doubt now. He was inhaling the penetrating, peculiar
odour of strong tobacco; and at last Brettison must have returned, and
be sitting there smoking his eastern water-pipe.

Stratton drew softly back, as if afraid of being heard, though his steps
were inaudible on the thick carpet, and he stood there thinking.

"If I go," he said to himself, "he will not answer my knock." And
feeling now that Brettison might have been back before now unknown to
him, he t