was
over Liot lit his pipe and took the way homeward. He had scarcely
left the sea-shore when he saw a man before him, walking very slowly
and irresolutely; and Liot said to himself, "He steps like one who
is not sure of his way." With the thought he called out, "_Take
care!_" and hastened forward; and the man stood still and waited for
him.

In a few minutes Liot also wished to stand still; for the moon came
from behind a cloud and showed him plainly that the wayfarer was Bele
Trenby. The recognition was mutual, but for once Bele was disposed
to be conciliating. He was afraid to turn back and equally afraid to
go forward; twice already the moonlight had deceived him, and he
had nearly stepped into the water; so he thought it worth his while
to say:

"Good evening, Liot; I am glad you came this road; it is a bad one--a
devilish bad one! I wish I had taken a boat. I shall miss the tide,
and I was looking to sail with it. It is an hour since I passed
Skegg's Point--a full hour, for it has been a step at a time. Now
you will let me step after you; I see you know the way."

He spoke with a nervous rapidity, and Liot only answered:

"Step as you wish to."

Bele fell a couple of feet behind, but continued to talk. "I have
been round Skegg's Point," he said with a chuckling laugh. "I wanted
to see Auda Brent before I went away for the winter. Lovely woman!
Brent is a lucky fellow--"

"Brent is my friend," answered Liot, angrily. But Bele did not notice
the tone, and he continued:

"I would rather have Auda for a friend." And then, in his usual
insinuating, boastful way, he praised the woman's beauty and
graciousness in words which had an indefinable offense, and yet
one quite capable of that laughing denial which commonly shielded
Bele's impertinence. "Brent gave me a piece of Saxony cloth and a
gold brooch for her--Brent is in Amsterdam. I have taken the
cloth four times; there were also other gifts--but I will say
nothing of them."

"You are inventing lies, Bele Trenby. Touch your tongue, and your
fingers will come out of your lips black as the pit. Say to Brent
what you have said to me. You dare not, you infernal coward!"

"You have a pretty list of bad words, Liot, and I won't try to change
mine with them."

Liot did not answer. He turned and looked at the man behind him,
and the devil entered into his heart and whispered, "_There is the
venn before you._" The words were audible to him; they set his
heart