Barron seems instinctively to associate
with his injury, Sir Mark must know the facts."

"Yes," said Stratton gravely; "he must know. I will go with you now.
He cannot doubt you."

The old man tottered a little, but his strong will supplied the
strength, and, taking his stick, they moved toward the door.

"We have done wrong, Stratton," he said; "the man should have been
denounced. I ought to have acted more wisely, but at first my only
thought was to save you from the consequences of your misfortune, and
keep all I knew from ever reaching Myra's ears. Our sin has found us
out, and there is nothing for it but to make a clean breast now."

Stratton hesitated for a few moments.

"You are too feeble," he said.

"Oh, yes," cried the woman, who came forward. "Monsieur is too ill to
go out. It is horrible that he should be so bad at our poor house."

"You say your husband is out?"

"Oh, yes, monsieur. I begged him not to go, but he said that he must
go."

"Not to fetch a doctor?"

"N-no, monsieur," faltered the woman hysterically. "It is not my fault,
monsieur; I begged him not to go--and--_O Ciel_! that it should have
happened."

"No one blames you, my good woman," said Stratton as she burst into a
hysterical fit of sobbing, while Brettison looked at her strangely. "If
he had been here he could have helped my friend down to the sands."

"And monsieur will forgive us," sobbed the woman; "we are poor, honest
people, and it is so terrible for your good friend to be like that."

"Quick!" said Brettison. "I am strong enough. Let's get it over before
something happens."

He clung to Stratton's arm, and, supporting himself with his stick, he
made a brave effort, and, gaining strength out in the soft sea air, he
walked slowly but pretty firmly along by the foot of the cliff.

"If Jules would only return," sobbed the woman hysterically. "Oh, that
such a misfortune should come upon our home! Poor gentleman! and he
bears it like a lamb."

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.

BARRON-DALE HAS A RELAPSE.

Brettison's progress was slow, but he refused to sit down and rest.

"We must get there," he said; "we must get there."

Stratton shuddered slightly, and for the moment felt that he ought to
press on; but he knew that his words would have ten times the force with
the admiral backed up by Brettison's presence, so he restrained himself
and helped his companion along till they came in sight of the rocks, a
good-siz