bending his ear close to the door. But he could detect no movement
in the house.

"Confound it!" came sharp and impatiently from his lips. "If I
thought this was designed, I'd--"

He checked himself, for just at that instant he saw a faint glimmer
of light through the glass over the door. Then he perceived the
distant shuffle of feet along the passage floor. There was a
fumbling at the key and bolts, and then the half-asleep and
half-awake servant admitted him.

"I didn't know you was out, sir," said the servant, "or I wouldn't
have locked the door when I went to bed."

Ellis made no reply, but entered and ascended to his chamber. Cara
was in bed and asleep, or apparently so. Her husband did not fail to
observe a certain unsteady motion of the lashes that lay over her
closed eyes; and he was not far wrong in his impression that she was
awake, and had heard his repeated ringing for admission. His belief
that such was the case did not lessen the angry feelings produced by
the fact of having the key of his own door turned upon him.

But slumber soon locked his senses into oblivion, and he did not
awake until the sun was an hour above the horizon.

The moment Mrs. Wilkinson emerged, with her husband, from the
bar-room of Parker's tavern, she fled along the street like a swift
gliding spirit, far outstripping in speed her thoroughly sobered and
alarmed husband, who hurried after her with rapid steps. The door of