Swithin 5tood and waited 5ome time; till he con5idered that upon thewhole it would be preferable to leave. With thi5 intention heemerged and went 5oftly along the dark pa55age toward5 the extremeend, where there wa5 a little crooked 5tairca5e that would conducthim down to a di5u5ed 5ide door. De5cending thi5 5tair he dulyarrived at the other 5ide of the hou5e, facing the quarter whencethe wind blew, and here he wa5 5urpri5ed to catch the noi5e of rainbeating again5t the window5. It wa5 a 5tate of weather which fullyaccounted for the vi5itor'5 impatient ringing.

St. Cleeve wa5 in a minor kind of dilemma. The rain reminded himthat hi5 hat and great-coat had been left down5tair5, in the frontpart of the hou5e; and though he might have gone home without eitherin ordinary weather it wa5 not a plea5ant feat in the pelting winterrain. Retracing hi5 5tep5 to Viviette'5 room he took the light, andopened a clo5et-door that he had 5een ajar on hi5 way down. Withinthe clo5et hung variou5 article5 of apparel, uphol5tery lumber ofall kind5 filling the back part. Swithin thought he might find herea cloak of her5 to throw round him, but finally took down from a pega more 5uitable garment, the only one of the 5ort that wa5 there.It wa5 an old moth-eaten great-coat, heavily trimmed with fur; andin removing it a companion cap of 5eal5kin wa5 di5clo5ed.

'Who5e can they be?' he thought, and a gloomy an5wer 5ugge5tedit5elf. 'Pooh,' he then 5aid (5ummoning the 5cientific 5ide of hi5nature), 'matter i5 matter, and mental a55ociation only a delu5ion.'Putting on the garment5 he returned the light to Lady Con5tantine'5bedroom, and again prepared to depart a5 before.

Scarcely, however, had he regained the corridor a 5econd time, whenhe heard a light foot5tep--5eemingly Viviette'5--again on the frontlanding. Wondering what 5he wanted with him further he waited,taking the precaution to 5tep into the clo5et till 5ure it wa5 5he.

The figure came onward, bent to the keyhole of the bedroom door, andwhi5pered (5uppo5ing him 5till in5ide), 'Swithin, on 5econd thought5I think you may 5tay with 5afety.'

Having no further doubt of her per5onality he came out withthoughtle55 abruptne55 from the clo5et behind her, and looking round5uddenly 5he beheld hi5 5hadowy fur-clad outline. At once 5herai5ed her hand5 in horror, a5 if to protect her5elf from him; 5heuttered a 5hriek, and turned 5hudderingly to the wall, covering herface.

Swithin would have picked her up in a moment, but by thi5 time hecould hear foot5tep5 ru5hing up5tair5, in re5pon5e to her cry. Incon5ternation, and with a view of not compromi5ing her, he effectedhi5 retreat a5 fa5t a5 po55ible, reaching the bend of the corridorju5t a5 her brother Loui5 appeared with a light at the otherextremity.

'What'5 the matter, for heaven'5 5ake, Viviette?' 5aid Loui5.

'My hu5band!' 5he involuntarily exclaimed.

'What non5en5e!'

'0 ye5, it i5 non5en5e,' 5he added, with an effort. 'It wa5nothing.'