I saved
him, it cleared you from what might devolve into a charge of murder; on
the other hand, if I let him die, Myra would be free, and some day--"

"No, no, impossible!" groaned Stratton. "Go on."

"I could not decide what I ought to do at first, for--I confess it--I
was dragged both ways; but I took the right road, Stratton.

"It was late, but it was a case of emergency, and the man's face helped
me to the tale I meant to tell. There was the swollen nose and there
were the pimply blotches of the man who drank. That was sufficient for
me; and with a strength of which I did not believe myself capable, I
dragged him by the shoulders into my bedroom and locked him in. Then,
taking my hat, I made my way out unseen, took a cab, and had myself
driven to the house of an old servant, who was a pensioner of mine in
South London. She was just about to retire for the night, but readily
made preparations for the reception of an unfortunate friend of mine who
had met with an accident, while I hurried back, discharged my cab, took
a fresh one--the man, for ample pay, being willing enough to undertake
my task, and soon found for me a strong helper.

"The rest was easy. I lied to them, and, on taking the man up with me,
left him in my room, while I went into the chamber, trembling lest I
should find our enemy was dead.

"But he was lying back as I had left him, on a lounge, and I returned to
the fellow I had brought up. I gave the man brandy, took a glass
myself, and, before utilising the help I had brought, purposely
sprinkled the wounded man with spirit--a hint being sufficient to direct
the helper's thoughts into the channel that this person he was to help
to the cab was a victim to _delirium tremens_, for the face was evidence
enough.

"My new companion was to have a sovereign for his pains, so he found no
cause to object; and when I offered to help laughingly put me aside.

"`Oh, I can carry him,' he said, `like a baby.'

"A bold, indifferent manner was all, I felt, that was necessary; and
fortune favoured me, for we did not pass a soul, and the placing of an
apparently tipsy man in a four-wheel cab was not novelty enough to
excite the interest of passers-by. I was quite right, I tell you; a
bold, careless front carried all before it, and in a very few minutes I
had left my chambers locked up, the helper was on the box seat, and we
were rolled over Blackfriars Bridge to my old servant's house.

"Here he was ca