were still lighted, but burnt
down very low. All had left; there was nothing there but the dead man
sitting up in his chair, with his eyes staring, and his chin fallen.
'Craven-hearted scoundrels!' cried Towers. 'The last thing I said was
to call in the servants, and say that their master had fainted; and
see, they have run away out of sheer terror. Ain't these hopeful fellows
to go before the coroner's inquest?' I was trembling from head to foot
all this while, and had to hold Towers by the arm to support myself.
'You are not much better!' said he, savagely. 'Get to bed, and take
a long sleep, man. Lock your door, and open it to none till I come to
you.' I staggered away as well as I could, and reached my room. Once
alone there, I fell on my knees and tried to pray, but I could not. I
could do nothing but cry,--cry, as though my heart would burst; and I
fell off asleep, at last, with my head on the bedside, and never awoke
till the next day at noon. Oh!" cried he, in a tone of anguish, "do
not ask me to recall more of this dreadful story; I'd rather follow the
others to the scaffold, than I 'd live over again that terrible day. But
you know the rest,--the whole world knows it. It was the 'Awful Tragedy
in Jersey' of every newspaper of England; even to the little cottage,
in the print-shop windows, the curiosity of the town was gratified. The
Pulpit employed the theme to illustrate the life of the debauchee;
and the Stage repeated the incidents in a melodrama. With a vindictive
inquisitiveness, too, the Press continued to pry after each of us,
whither we had gone, and what had become of us. I myself, at last,
escaped further scrutiny by the accidental circumstance of a pauper,
called Paul Hunt, having died in a poor-house, furnishing the journalist
who recorded it one more occasion for moral reflection and eloquence.
Collins lived, I know not how or where. She sailed for Australia, but I
believe never went beyond the Cape."

"And you never met her since?"

"Never."

"Nor have you held any correspondence together?"

"None, directly. I have received some messages; one to that purport I
have already told you. Indeed, it was but t' other day that I knew for
certain she was in Europe."

"What was she in appearance,--what style and manner of person?"

"You shall guess before I tell you," said Paten, smiling sadly.

"A dark-eyed, dark-haired woman,--brunette,--tall,--with a commanding
look,--thin lips,--and strongly m