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the　side　of　his　charge；　who　had　been　intently　watching

Lorison's　face　during　the　conversation；　no　doubt　for

some　indication　of　his　intention　to　render　succour。　　Now；

at　the　failure　of　the　sign；　and　at　the　movement　made　to

continue　the　ignominious　progress；　she　abandoned　hope；

and　addressed　him　thus；　pointedly：



〃You　damn　chalk…faced　quitter！　　You　was　thinking

of　giving　me　a　hand；　but　you　let　the　cop　talk　you　out　of

it　the　first　word。　　You're　a　dandy　to　tie　to。　　Say；　if　you

ever　get　a　girl；　she'll　have　a　picnic。　　Won't　she　work

you　to　the　queen's　taste！　　Oh；　my！〃　　She　concluded

with　a　taunting；　shrill　laugh　that　rasped　Lorison　like　a

saw。　　The　policemen　urged　her　forward；　the　delighted

train　of　gaping　followers　closed　up　the　rear；　and　the

captive　Amazon；　accepting　her　fate；　extended　the　scope

of　her　maledictions　so　that　none　in　hearing　might　seem

to　be　slighted。



Then　there　came　upon　Lorison　an　overwhelming

revulsion　of　his　perspective。　　It　may　be　that　he　had

been　ripe　for　it；　that　the　abnormal　condition　of　mind　in

which　he　had　for　so　long　existed　was　already　about　to

revert　to　its　balance；　however；　it　is　certain　that　the　events

of　the　last　few　minutes　had　furnished　the　channel；　if　not

the　impetus；　for　the　change。



The　initial　determining　influence　had　been　so　small

a　thing　as　the　fact　and　manner　of　his　having　been

approached　by　the　officer。　　That　agent　had；　by　the　style

of　his　accost；　restored　the　loiterer　to　his　former　place　in

society。　　In　an　instant　he　had　been　transformed　from

a　somewhat　rancid　prowler　along　the　fishy　side　streets　of

gentility　into　an　honest　gentleman；　with　whom　even　so

lordly　a　guardian　of　the　peace　might　agreeably　exchange

the　compliments。



This；　then；　first　broke　the　spell；　and　set　thrilling　in　him

a　resurrected　longing　for　the　fellowship　of　his　kind；　and

the　rewards　of　the　virtuous。　　To　what　end；　he　vehemently

asked　himself；　was　this　fanciful　self…accusation；　this

empty　renunciation；　this　moral　squeamishness　through

which　he　had　been　led　to　abandon　what　was　his　heritage

in　life；　and　not　beyond　his　deserts？　　Technically；　he　was

uncondemned；　his　sole　guilty　spot　was　in　thought　rather

than　deed；　and　cognizance　of　it　unshared　by　others。　　For

what　good；　moral　or　sentimental；　did　he　slink；　retreating

like　the　hedgehog　from　his　own　shadow；　to　and　fro　in　this

musty　Bohemia　that　lacked　even　the　picturesque？



But　the　thing　that　struck　home　and　set　him　raging　was

the　part　played　by　the　Amazonian　prisoner。　　To　the

counterpart　of　that　astounding　belligerent　　identical

at　least；　in　the　way　of　experience　　to　one；　by　her　own

confession；　thus　far　fallen；　had　he；　not　three　hours　since；

been　united　in　marriage。　　How　desirable　and　natural　it

had　seemed　to　him　then；　and　how　monstrous　it　seemed

now！　　How　the　words　of　diamond　thief　number　two　yet

burned　in　his　ears：　〃If　you　ever　get　a　cirl；　she'll　have　a

picnic。　　What　did　that　that　this　women　instinc…

tively　knew　him　for　one　they　could　hoodwink？　　Still　again；

there　reverberated　the　policeman's　sapient　contribution

to　his　agony：　〃A　man　these　days　and　nights　wants　to

know　what　his　women　folks　are　up　to。〃　　Oh；　yes；　he　had

been　a　fool；　he　had　looked　at　things　from　the　wrong

standpoint。



But　the　wildest　note　in　all　the　clamour　was　struck　by

pain's　forefinger；　jealousy。　　Now；　at　least；　he　felt　that

keenest　sting　　a　mounting　love　unworthily　bestowed。

Whatever　she　might　be；　he　loved　her；　he　bore　in　his　own

breast　his　doom。　　A　grating；　comic　flavour　to　his　pre…

dicament　struck　him　suddenly；　and　he　laughed　creakingly

as　he　swung　down　the　echoing　pavement。　　An　impetuous

desire　to　act；　to　battle　with　his　fate；　seized　him。　　He

stopped　upon　his　heel；　and　smote　his　palms　together

triumphantly。　　His　wife　was　　where？　　But　there　was

a　tangible　link；　an　outlet　more　or　less　navigable；　through

which　his　derelict　ship　of　matrimony　might　yet　be　safely

towed　　the　priest！



Like　all　imaginative　men　with　pliable　natures；　Lorison

was；　when　thoroughly　stirred；　apt　to　become　tempest…

uous。　　With　a　high　and　stubborn　indignation　upon　him；

be　retraced　his　steps　to　the　intersecting　street　by　which

he　had　come。　　Down　this　he　hurried　to　the　corner　where

he　had　parted　with　　an　astringent　grimace　tinctured　the

thought　　his　wife。　　Thence　still　back　he　harked；　follow…

ing　through　an　unfamiliar　district　his　stimulated　recollec…

tions　of　the　way　they　had　come　from　that　preposterous

wedding。　　Many　times　he　went　abroad；　and　nosed　his

way　back　to；　the　trail；　furious。



At　last；　when　he　reached　the　dark；　calamitous　building

in　which　his　madness　had　culminated；　and　found　the

black　hallway；　he　dashed　down　it；　perceiving　no　light

or　sound。　　But　he　raised　his　voice；　hailing　loudly；　reckless

of　everything　but　that　he　should　find　the　old　mischief…

maker　with　the　eyes　that　looked　too　far　awav　to　see　the

disaster　he　had　wrought。　　The　door　opened；　and　in　the

stream　of　light　Father　Rogan　stood；　his　book　in　hand；

with　his　finger　marking　the　place。



〃Ah！〃　　cried　Lorison。　　〃You　are　the　man　I　want。　　I

had　a　wife　of　you　a　few　hours　ago。　　I　would　not　trouble

you；　but　I　neglected　to　note　how　it　was　done。　　Will　you

oblige　me　with　the　information　whether　the　business　is

beyond　remedy？〃



〃Come　inside；〃　said　the　priest；　　〃there　are　other　lodgers

in　the　house；　who　might　prefer　sleep　to　even　a　gratified

curiosity。〃



Lorison　entered　the　room　and　took　the　chair　offered

him。　　The　priest's　eyes　looked　a　courteous　interrogation。



〃I　must　apologize　again；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃for　so

soon　intruding　upon　you　with　my　marital　infelicities；

but；　as　my　wife　has　neglected　to　furnish　me　with　her

address；　I　am　deprived　of　the　legitimate　recourse　of　a

family　row。〃



〃I　am　quite　a　plain　man；〃　said　Father　Rogan；　pleas…

antly；　〃but　I　do　not　see　how　I　am　to　ask　you　questions。〃



〃Pardon　my　indirectness；〃　said　Lorison；　〃I　will　ask

one。　　In　this　room　to…night　you　pronounced　me　to　be　a

husband。　　You　afterward　spoke　of　additional　rites　or

performances　that　either　should　or　could　be　effected。　　I

paid　little　attention　to　your　words　then；　but　I　am　hungry

to　hear　them　repeated　now。　　As　matters　stand；　am　I

married　past　all　help？〃



〃You　are　as　legally　and　as　firmly　bound；〃　said　the

priest；　〃as　though　it　had　been　done　in　a　cathedral；　in　the

presence　of　thousands。　　The　additional　observances　I

referred　to　are　not　necessary　to　the　strictest　legality　of　the

act；　but　were　advised　as　a　precaution　for　the　future　

for　convenience　of　proof　in　such　contingencies　as　wills；

inheritances　and　the　like。〃



Lorison　laughed　harshly。



〃Many　thanks；〃　he　said。　　〃Then　there　is　no　mistake；

and　I　am　the　happy　benedict。　　I　suppose　I　should　go

stand　upon　the　bridal　corner；　and　when　my　wife　gets

through　walking　the　streets　she　will　look　me　up。〃



Father　Rogan　regarded　him　calmly。



〃My　son；〃　he　said；　〃when　a　man　and　woman　come　to

me　to　be　married　I　always　marry　them。　　I　do　this　for　the

sake　of　other　people　whom　they　might　go　away　and　marry

if　they　did　not　marry　each　other。　　As　you　see；　I　do　not

seek　your　confidence；　but　your　case　seems　to　me　to　be

one　not　altogether　devoid　of　interest。　　Very　few　marriages

that　have　come　to　my　notice　have　brought　such　well…

expressed　regret　within　so　short　a　time。　　I　will　hazard

one　question：　were　you　not　under　the　impression

that　you　loved　the　lady　you　married；　at　the　time　you

did　so；〃



〃Loved　her！〃　　cried　Lorison；　wildly。　　〃Never　so　well

as　now；　though　she　told　me　she　deceived　and　sinned　and

stole。　　Never　more　than　now；　when；　perhaps；　she　is

laughing　at　the　fool　she　cajoled　and　left；　with　scarcely　a

word；　to　return　to　God　only　knows　what　particular　line

of　her　former　folly。〃



Father　Rooan　answered　nothing。　　During　the　silence

that　succeeded；　he　sat　with　a　quiet　expectation　beaming

in　his　full；　lambent　eye。



〃If　you　would　listen　　〃　began　Lorison。　　The

priest　held　up　his　hand。



〃As　I　hoped；〃　he　said。　　〃I　thought　you　would　trust

me。　　Wait　but　a　moment。〃　　He　brought　a　long　clay

pipe；　filled　and　lighted　it。



〃Now；　my　son；〃　he　said。



Lorison　poured　a　twelve　month's　accumulated　con…

fidence　into　Father　Rogan's　ear。　　He　told　all；　not　sparing

himself　or　omitting　the　facts　of　his　past；　the　events　of　the

night；　or　his　disturbing　conjectures　and　fears。



〃The　main　point；〃　said　the　priest；　when　he　had　con…

cluded；　〃seems　to　me　to　be　this　　are　you　reasonably

sure　that　you　love　this　woman　whom　you　have　married？〃



〃Why；〃　exclaimed　Lorisoii；　rising　impulsively　to　his

feet　…　〃why　should　I　deny　it？　　But　look　at　me　　am

fish；　flesh　or　fowl？　　That　is　the　main　point　to　me；

assure　you。〃



〃I　understand　you；〃　said　the　priest；　also　risino；；　and

laying　down　his　pipe。　　〃The　situation　is　one　that　has

taxed　the　endurance　of　much　older　men　than　you　　in

fact；　especially　much　older　men　than　you。　　I　will　try　to

relieve　you　from　it；　and　this　night。　　You　shall　see　for

yourself　into　exactly　what　predicament　you　have　fallen；

and　how　you　shall；　possibly；　be　extricated。　　There　is　no

evidence　so　credible　as　that　of　the　eyesight。〃



Father　Rogan　moved　about　the　room；　and　donned　a

soft　black　hat。　　Buttoning　his　coat　to　his　throat；　he

laid　his　hand　on　the　doorknob。　　〃Let　us　walk；〃

he　said。



The　two　went　out　upon　the　street。　　The　priest　turned

his　face　down　it；　and　Lorison　walked　with　him　through　a

squalid　district；　where　the　houses　loomed；　awry　and

desoiate…looking；　high　above　them。　　Presently　they　turned

into　a　less　dismal　side　street；　where　the　houses　were　smaller；

and；　though　hinting　of　the　most　meagre　comfort；　lacked

the　concentrated　wretchedness　of　the　more　populous

byways。



At　a　segregated；　two…story　house　Father　Rogan　halted；

and　mounted　the　steps　with　the　confidence　of　a　familiar

visitor。　　He　ushered　Lorison　into　a　narrow　hallway；

faintly　lighted　by　a　cobwebbed　hangi