an the rest of
the audience; but they, too, were becoming a little restless, and it
would not be long ere they fully awoke. One thing I saw with perfect
clearness and some terror, and that was that Barber himself realized
that his power was dying within him. He appeared to be dwindling,
shrinking down; in his eyes were suffering and a terrible panic--the
distress of a beaten man appealing for mercy. The catastrophe must fall
in a minute--

With some difficulty I rose from my place and made for the nearest exit.
My difficulty came, not from the crowd or anything like that, but from
an inexplicable sensation that I was committing some crime by stirring
while Barber was on the stage, and even risking my life.

Outside it was raining.

I walked away rapidly, for although I was, to a certain extent, under
the influence of the impression I have just described, some remains of
common sense urged me to put a long distance between myself and the
concert hall as soon as possible. I knew that the hoots and yells of
fury and derision had already broken loose back there. Perhaps Barber
would be taken to the police station. I did not want to be mixed up in
the affair--

But suddenly I heard the steps of one running behind me. As I say, it
was a wet night, and at that hour the street was pretty empty. Barber
ran up against me and caught my arm. He was panting and trembling
violently.

"You fool!" I cried furiously. "Oh, you fool!" I shook myself free of
his hold. "How did you get out?"

"I don't know," he panted. "They let me go--that is, as soon as I saw
that I was standing up there before them all, I jumped off the stage and
bolted. Whatever made me do it? My God, what made me do it? I heard a
shout. I think they are after me."

I hailed a passing cab and shoved Barber inside, and then got in
myself. I gave the cabman a fictitious address in Kensington.

"Yes," I said fiercely. "What made you do it?"

He was bunched in a corner of the cab, shuddering like a man who has
just had some great shock, or who has been acting under the influence of
a drug which has evaporated and left him helpless. His words came in
gasps.

"If you can tell me that!--God, I'm frightened! I'm frightened! I must
be crazy. Whatever made me do it? If they hear of it at the office I'll
lose my job."

"They'll hear of it right enough, my boy," I sneered, "and a good many
other people too. You can't do these little games with impunity."

I caught