,--I have thought over the matter on which you
consulted me the other night, and my advice to you is this. Throw the
portrait into the fire, blot out the story from your mind. Never give
it another thought, Villiers, or you will be sorry. You will think, no
doubt, that I am in possession of some secret information, and to a
certain extent that is the case. But I only know a little; I am like a
traveller who has peered over an abyss, and has drawn back in terror.
What I know is strange enough and horrible enough, but beyond my
knowledge there are depths and horrors more frightful still, more
incredible than any tale told of winter nights about the fire. I have
resolved, and nothing shall shake that resolve, to explore no whit
farther, and if you value your happiness you will make the same
determination.

"Come and see me by all means; but we will talk on more cheerful topics
than this."

Austin folded the letter methodically, and returned it to Villiers.

"It is certainly an extraordinary letter," he said, "what does he mean
by the portrait?"

"Ah! I forgot to tell you I have been to Paul Street and have made a
discovery."

Villiers told his story as he had told it to Clarke, and Austin
listened in silence. He seemed puzzled.

"How very curious that you should experience such an unpleasant
sensation in that room!" he said at length. "I hardly gather that it
was a mere matter of the imagination; a feeling of repulsion, in short."

"No, it was more physical than mental. It was as if I were inhaling at
every breath some deadly fume, which seemed to penetrate to every nerve
and bone and sinew of my body. I felt racked from head to foot, my
eyes began to grow dim; it was like the entrance of death."

"Yes, yes, very strange certainly. You see, your friend confesses that
there is some very black story connected with this woman. Did you
notice any particular emotion in him when you were telling your tale?"

"Yes, I did. He became very faint, but he assured me that it was a
mere passing attack to which he was subject."

"Did you believe him?"

"I did at the time, but I don't now. He heard what I had to say with a
good deal of indifference, till I showed him the portrait. It was then
that he was seized with the attack of which I spoke. He looked
ghastly, I assure you."

"Then he must have seen the woman before. But there might be another
explanation; it might have been the name, and not the face, wh