sob, and he stretched out his arms wildly.

"My God!" he cried, "I am punished! The agony of it is that I love you
still, with all my soul--even though I saw them with my own eyes--your
lover and--your child!"

Here Zara gave a stifled shriek, and, as he strode from the room not
daring to look at her for fear of breaking his resolution, she rose
unsteadily to her feet and tried to call him. But she gasped and no
words would come. Then she fell back unconscious in the chair.

He did not turn round, and soon he was in the motor and gliding away as
though the hounds of hell were after him, as, indeed, they were, from
the mad pain in his heart.

And when Zara came to herself it was half an hour later, and he was many
miles away.

She sat up and found Jake licking her hands.

Then remembrance came back. He was gone--and he loved her even though he
thought her--that!

She started to her feet. The blood rushed back to her brain. She must
act.

She stared around, dazed for a moment, and then she saw the time
tables--the Bradshaw and the A.B.C. She turned over the leaves of the
latter with feverish haste. Yes, there was a train which left at 2:30
and got to London at half-past five; it was a slow one--the express
which started at 3:30, did not get in until nearly six. That might be
too late--both might be too late, but she must try. Then she put her
hand to her head in agony. She did not know where he had gone. Would he
go to his mother's, or to his old rooms in St. James's Street? She did
not know their number.

She rang the bell and asked that Michelham should come to her.

The old servant saw her ghastly face, and knew from Higgins that his
master intended going to Paris that night. He guessed some tragedy had
happened between them, and longed to help.

"Michelham," she said, "his lordship has gone to London. Do you know to
what address? I must follow him--it is a matter of life and death that I
see him before he starts for Paris. Order my motor for the 2:30
train--it is quicker than to go by car all the way."

"Yes, my lady," Michelham said. "Everything will be ready. His lordship
has gone to his rooms, 460 St. James's Street. May I accompany your
ladyship? His lordship would not like your ladyship to travel alone."

"Very well," she said. "There is no place anywhere, within driving
distance that I could catch a train that got in before, is there?"

"No, my lady; that will be the soonest," he said. "And will