consult me as my mother looked up to and consulted my father, and my honor will be considered above reproach. My people too will rejoice to have me back with them. I can serve them if I am returned for this constituency--in short, I can live a worthy and respected life. The devil will have his way, but no one will guess that it is the devil's way--I shall seem to live the life of an angel." Awdrey paused here in his own thought. "I feel as if the devil were laughing at me," he said, speaking half aloud, and looking again into the darkness of the room--"he knows that his hour will come--by and by my span of life will run out--eventually I shall reach the long end of the long way. But until that time, day by day, and hour by hour, I shall live the life of the hypocrite. Like a whited sepulchre shall I be truly, for I shall carry hell here. By and by I shall have to answer for all at a Higher Tribunal, and meanwhile I shall carry hell here." He pressed his hand to his breast--his face was ghastly. "Shall I follow the devil? Suppose I do not, what then?" There came another tap at the office door. Awdrey went across the room and opened it. He started and uttered a smothered oath, for Margaret stood on the threshold. "Go away now, Maggie, I can't see you; I am very much engaged," he said. Instead of obeying him she stepped across the threshold. "But you have no one with you," she said, looking into the darkness of the room. "What are you doing, Robert, all by yourself? You look very white and tired. We have finished dinner--my uncle has come over from Cuthbertstown, and would like to see you--they all think it strange your being away. What is the matter? Won't you return with me to the house?" "I cannot yet. I am particularly engaged." "But what about? Uncle James will be much disappointed if he does not see you." "I'll come to him presently when I have thought out a problem." Margaret turned herself now in such a position that she could see her husband's face. Something in his eyes seemed to speak straight to her sympathies,--she put her arms round his neck. "Don't think any more now, my darling," she said. "Remember, though you are so well, that you were once very ill. You have had no dinner, it is not right for you to starve yourself and tire yourself. Come home with me, Robert, come home!" "Not yet," he replied. "There is a knot which I must untie. I am thinking a very grave problem out. I shall have no rest, no peace, until I have made up my mind." "What can be the matter?" inquired Margaret. "Can I help you in any way?" "No, my dearest," he answered very tenderly, "except by leaving me." "Is it anything to do with accounts?" she asked. She glanced at the table with its pile of letters and papers. "If so, I could really render you assistance; I used to keep accounts for Uncle James in the old days. Two brains are better than one. Let me help you." "It is a mental problem, Maggie; it relates to morals."