"Miss Bedford--Miss Bedford!" screamed a passionate voice as she passed the drawing-room. But, with face pale and eyes fixed, Ella seemed to be walking in her sleep, or labouring under the stupor produced by some narcotic; for she passed on, heedless of the call--one hand holding the travelling-bag, the other clasping the letters, which acted as a talisman to nerve her in each sore time of shrinking. The poison was working well. But in the passage she stayed for an instant, hesitating. What step was she taking? Where would this end? A cold shudder passed through her; but once more she was drawn on against her will, her better sense, and the powers that should have withheld her. Another moment and her hand was on the fastening of the door; and for the last time she paused, hung back for an instant, and would have returned, when her hand again pressed the letters. She uttered a feeble wailing cry as her lips formed a name, and then, opening the door, she stood upon the steps as if hesitating; but the portal swung to, and fastened itself with a loud snap; and fully feeling now that she had taken the step, she drew down her veil and hurried over the distance that lay between her and the Colosseum, suffering from a new dread. The step taken, she felt now nerved for any contingency, and recalling Max Bray's words, she reproached herself for her delay. What had he said? If she were not there, he would go alone! She almost ran now over the pathway till she caught sight of a cab. Was that the one, or had he gone? Was she too late? Yes, she was too late, she told herself, for he was not there; but the next moment, giddy with excitement, she felt her hand seized, the bag taken from her, the banging of a cab-door; when, as a voice exclaimed, "At last!" there was a noise of wheels, and she felt that she was being hurried through the streets. Volume 3, Chapter XVI. IN THE GIN OF THE FOWLER. "I was afraid that you would not come, Miss Bedford," said Max respectfully. "You look pale and ill." Ella could not answer, when, seeing her agitation, her companion forbore to speak, but kept on consulting his watch. Now he pulled down the front window to tell the driver to hasten; now he drew it up again, but only five minutes after, to tell the man to slacken his pace, till, apparently annoyed at the interruptions, the driver settled down into a quiet regular trot, out of which neither the threats nor exhortations of his fare could move him. In one of his movements, Max dropped a note from his breast-pocket, as he knocked down Ella's reticule, which flew open; but gathering up the escaped contents, he replaced them for her, and with them his own letter, when closing the snap, he handed the reticule back to her, saying, "There is nothing lost, Miss Bedford." He was quite right; but for Ella there was much gained. "We shall lose the train!" now exclaimed Max excitedly. "Bai Jove, we shall! and when one had got so near too!"