e long and the
short of his swift reflections, not his grandfather. All her life she
would remember that she had supported him in an undertaking that had to do
with the certain death of her husband, and no matter how merciful, how
sensible that act may have been, or how earnestly he may have tried to see
his way clear to follow a course opposed to the one he had taken, the fact
remained that she had acknowledged herself prepared for just what
subsequently happened in the operating room.

Going back to the beginning, Templeton Thorpe's death was in her mind the
day she married him. It had never been a question with her as to how he
should die, but _when_. But this way to the desired end could never have
been included in her calculations. _This_ was not the way out.

She had been forced to take a stand with him in this unhappy business, and
she would have to pay a cost that he could not share with her, for his
conscience was clear. What were her thoughts to-day? With what ugly crime
was she charging herself? Was she, in the secrecy of her soul, convicting
herself of murder? Was _that_ what he had given her to think about all the
rest of her life?

The servant was slow in answering the bell. They always are at the homes
of doctors.

"Is Dr. Bates at home?"

"Office hours from eight to nine, and four to six."

"Say that Dr. Thorpe wishes to see him."

This seemed to make a difference. "He is out, Dr. Thorpe. We expect him in
any moment though. For lunch. Will you please to come in and wait?"

"Thank you."

She felt called upon to deliver a bit of information. "He went down to see
Mrs. Thorpe, sir,--your poor grandmother."

"I see," said Braden dully. It did not occur to him that enlightenment was
necessary. A queer little chill ran through his veins. Was Dr. Bates down
there now, telling Anne all that he knew, and was she, in the misery of
remorse, making him her confessor? In the light of these disturbing
thoughts, he was fast becoming blind to the real object of this, the first
of the three visits he was to make.

Dr. Bates found him staring gloomily from the window when he came into the
office half an hour later, and at once put the wrong though obvious
construction upon his mood.

"Come, come, my boy," he said as they shook hands; "put it out of your
mind. Don't let the thing weigh like this. You knew what you were about
yesterday, so don't look back upon what happened with--"

Braden interrupted him, ir