The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02

strangers voice, he let him in. and the
newcomer pushed quickly past Cor
don and entered the darkened bed
room before him.
There his profound emotion van
ished. He drew a bailiff's wand from
beneath his coat and touched the rigid
figure that lay there. proclaimed with
gruf triumph: Il arrest this body in
the Kings name, for $500"
The exultant bailiff started at the
touch OF fingers gripping his wrist
something in Gordon's face, though
now distorted with feeling, was IA
miliar.
Why" he said. I'm a turnkey. If
you amt the gent that took the young
ladies into the Fleeti''
Come with me-" rasped Gordon
between his teeth, and the bailif fol-
lowed. In the next room he drew
from his pocket a draft from John
Murray, his publisher. for 4SO gum
cas-. Without q word he indorsed this
and handed ii TO the bailiff. who scru-
tinized 1t and counted out the "a
change.
Now goi' said Gordon.
The clock OF St Paufs was peaIing
the hour Of IL as the hackney coach
drove back to the house on Piccadilly
terrace. A light, low-lying mist soft
ened the outlines of the alley ways
and purified the filth of the street.
Overhead it frayed into a night OF
wonderful starshine. where. beyond
the soiled sOrdidness OF the clamOrous
city, the sky spread a web OF dia-
monds and sifted gold dust
While the wheels ratified onward
Gordon's white. whimsical. face, lifted
10 those DreSences above the smoky
roofs. gradually lost its bitter glaze
and expressed a curious wistfulness-
a vague, appealing WEAKNESS and
speculation.
Matter is eternal" he reflected.
always changing but reproduced and
eternal. May not mind be also2 Is
its inner spark celestial? Or. like the
cells that produce il, is IL a creature
Of the mold, doomed to extinction
with the brain, sinking as the candle
flame perishes when the wick falls ?
1 remember when I viewed the plan
cts through HerschePs telescope and
saw all at once that they were worlds
What has eternity TO do with the con-
gregated coSmic dust we call man
kind? What are our little passions
and resentments before the least Of
those stars?"
His gaze and his thought fell from
the sky.
Had he any right to the stubborn
pride which would not bemean itself
by self-defense2 Would his own si-
lence not abet the calculating hatred
OF Lady Noel and add TO that mon
strous estrangement that was steadily
carrying his soul further and further
from the soul OF Annabe1? The
question OF whether his wife believed
or disbelieved aside. was he justified
in such a course now? A softer feel
ing took possession OF him. Appear
ances had been against him. To
speak could make the matter no
worse for Lady Caroline. He would
go TO Annabel and assure her OF the
truth Perhaps even out OF such a
catastrophe as to-night's might arise
a truer and a nearer confidence.
He threw of his great-coat IN the
empty hall and ascended the stair
The door Of the chamber where sat
the little white bed was open. He
went in. The lamp still shed its radi-
ance on the pillow, but the tiny frag
rant mold where a baby head had
lain, now held only a note, bearing
Gordon's name.
With a puzzled look he tore IL open
A white anguish spread over his
features A cry broke from his lips
He flung wide the door OF his wife 5
room-it was empty He ran down
: the stair, where the footman met him,
turning a wondering face 10 his Ques-
tion-