intelligence that was so near the line was just crossing over the
border. The poor old lady! Here was a tragedy he could not
understand. He stooped over to assist her. He was trembling. As he
did so he heard the drone of her soul as it wafted to the shadow:

"Now there are two."




IV

GONE


Jerome was a strong man, of iron nerve, and well set against
emotion; in the run of his experience he had been plumped into
many startling situations; but none like this. The croon of the
old lady thrummed in his ears with endless repetition. He picked
her up tenderly and bore her to another room and placed her on a
ragged sofa. There were still marks on her face of former beauty.
He wondered who she was and what had been her life to come to such
an ending.

"Now there are two," the words were withering with oppression.
Subconsciously he felt the load that crushed her spirit. It was as
if the burden had been shifted; he sensed the weight of an
unaccountable disaster.

The place was musty and ill-lighted. He looked about him, the