under this renewed excitement, hastily left us. He was not the man
to rush into anything impulsively, and not even the presence of
murder could change his ways.

"I want to feel sure of myself," he explained. "Can you bear the
strain of waiting around a little longer, Laura? I mustn't forget
that you fainted just now."

"Yes, I can bear it; much better than I could bear going to Adela's
in my present state of mind. Don't you think the man we saw had
something to do with this? Don't you believe--"

"Hush! Let us listen rather than talk. What are they saying over
there? Can you hear?"

"No. And I cannot bear to look. Yet I don't want to go away. It's
all so dreadful."

"It's devilish. Such a beautiful girl! Laura, I must leave you
for a moment. Do you mind?"

"No, no; yet--"

I did mind; but he was gone before I could take back my word. Alone,
I felt the tragedy much more than when he was with me. Instead of
watching, as I had hitherto done, every movement in the room opposite,
I drew back against the wall and hid my eyes, waiting feverishly for
George's return.

He came, when he did come, in some haste and with certain marks of