-day.

I had returned from the Mardens' after lunch, and was cutting some
microscopic sections in my freezing microtome, when in an instant I
lost consciousness in the sudden hateful fashion which has become only
too familiar to me of late.

When my senses came back to me I was sitting in a small chamber, very
different from the one in which I had been working. It was cosey and
bright, with chintz-covered settees, colored hangings, and a thousand
pretty little trifles upon the wall. A small ornamental clock ticked
in front of me, and the hands pointed to half-past three. It was all
quite familiar to me, and yet I stared about for a moment in a
half-dazed way until my eyes fell upon a cabinet photograph of myself
upon the top of the piano. On the other side stood one of Mrs. Marden.
Then, of course, I remembered where I was. It was Agatha's boudoir.

But how came I there, and what did I want? A horrible sinking came to
my heart. Had I been sent here on some devilish errand? Had that
errand already been done? Surely it must; otherwise, why should I be
allowed to come back to consciousness? Oh, the agony of that moment!
What had I done? I sprang to my feet in my despair, and as I did so a
small glass bottle fell from my knees on to the carpet.

It was unbroken, and I picked it up. Outside was written "Sulphuric
Acid. Fort." When I drew the round glass stopper, a thick fume rose
slowly up, and a pungent, choking smell pervaded the room. I
recognized it as one which I kept for chemical testing in my chambers.
But why had I brought a bottle of vitriol into Agatha's chamber? Was
it not this thick, reeking liquid with which jealous women had been
known to mar the beauty of their rivals? My heart stood still as I
held the bottle to the light. Thank God, it was full! No mischief had
been done as yet. But had Agatha come in a minute sooner, was it not
certain that the hellish parasite within me would have dashed the stuff
into her---- Ah, it will not bear to be thought of! But it must have
been for that. Why else should I have brought it? At the thought of
what I might have done my worn nerves broke down, and I sat shivering
and twitching, the pitiable wreck of a man.

It was the sound of Agatha's voice and the rustle of her dress which
restored me. I looked up, and saw her blue eyes, so full of tenderness
and pity, gazing down at me.

"We must take you away to the country, Austin," she said. "You w