on the paper, and yet he kept his oath.
Between two and three, in the cold moonlight, he crawled out and
deposited his letter in the nearest post-office.

CHAPTER XXIX

John Eames Returns to Burton Crescent

John Eames and Crosbie returned to town on the same day. It will be
remembered how Eames had assisted Lord De Guest in the matter of the
bull, and how great had been the earl's gratitude on the occasion.
The memory of this, and the strong encouragement which he received
from his mother and sister for having made such a friend by his
gallantry, lent some slight satisfaction to his last hours at home.
But his two misfortunes were too serious to allow of anything like
real happiness. He was leaving Lily behind him, engaged to be married
to a man whom he hated, and he was returning to Burton Crescent,
where he would have to face Amelia Roper,--Amelia either in her rage
or in her love. The prospect of Amelia in her rage was very terrible
to him; but his greatest fear was of Amelia in her love. He had in
his letter declined matrimony; but what if she talked down all his
objections, and carried him off to church in spite of himself!

When he reached London and got into a cab with his portmanteau, he
could hardly fetch up courage to bid the man drive him to Burton
Crescent. "I might as well go to an hotel for the night," he said to
himself, "and then I can learn how things are going on from Cradell
at the office." Nevertheless, he did give the direction to Burton
Crescent, and when it was once given felt ashamed to change it. But,
as he was driven up to the well-known door, his heart was so low
within him that he might almost be said to have lost it. When the
cabman demanded whether he should knock, he could not answer; and
when the maid-servant at the door greeted him, he almost ran away.

"Who's at home?" said he, asking the question in a very low voice.

"There's missus," said the girl, "and Miss Spruce, and Mrs Lupex.
He's away somewhere, in his tantrums again; and there's Mr--"

"Is Miss Roper here?" he said, still whispering.

"Oh, yes! Miss Mealyer's here," said the girl, speaking in a cruelly
loud voice. "She was in the dining-room just now, putting out the
table. Miss Mealyer!" And the girl, as she called out the name,
opened the dining-room door. Johnny Eames felt that his knees were
too weak to support him.

But Miss Mealyer was not in the dining-room. She had perceived the
advancing cab of he