Outside Dorn held the body of the woman against him as they hurried through the storm. Her flesh, like the touch of a third person, struck through his wet clothes. "Where we going?" he yelled at her. She thrust out an arm. "Up here." They came breathless up a flight of stairs into a reeking room lighted by a gas jet. * * * * * * In the café, Lockwood waited till the music started again. Then he rose and, slapping his soggy hat on his head, walked out of the place. The rain, sweeping steadily against the earth, held him prisoner in the doorway. He stood muttering to himself of his friend and his craziness. Gone wild! Crazy wild with a mad woman in the rain. Long ago he might have done it himself. Yes, he knew the why of it. The rain fuming before him made him sleepy. He leaned against the place and waited. The storm faded slowly into a quiet patter. Starting for the pavement, Lockwood paused. A hatless figure had jumped out of a doorway across the street and was running toward him. "It's Erik," he muttered, and hurried to meet him. Dorn, laughing, his clothes torn and his face smeared with blood under his eye, drew near. He took his friend's arm and walked him swiftly away. At the corner Dorn stopped and regarded the novelist. "I've had a look at hell," he whispered, and with a laugh hurried off alone. Lockwood watched him moving swiftly down the street, and yawned. CHAPTER IV It was near midnight. Rachel's eyes, brightened with tears, watched her lover bathing his face. "It seemed so long," she murmured, "till you came." "That damned Warren Lockwood led me astray," he smiled. He dried his face and came toward her. She dropped to the floor beside him as he sat down and pressed her cheeks against his knees. His hands moved tenderly through her loosened hair. "You told me to be careful about getting run over," she smiled sadly, "and you go out and get all cut up in a brawl. Oh, Erik, please--something might have happened." "Nothing happened, dearest." She asked no further questions but remained with her face against his knees. This was Rachel whose hair he was stroking. Dorn smiled at the thought. After a silence she resumed, her voice softened with emotion: "Erik, I've been lying to you--about my love. It's different than I said it was. I've said always what you've wanted me to say. You've always wanted me to be something else than a woman--something like a dream. But I can't. I love you as--as Anna loved you. Oh, I want to be with you forever and have children. I'm nothing else. You are. I can't be like you. For me there's only love for you and nothing beyond." "Dear one," he answered, "there's nothing else for me." "Now you're telling me lies," she wept. "There is something I can't give you; and that you must go looking for somewhere else." "No, Rachel. I love you." "As you loved Anna--once." "Don't! I never loved Anna--or anyone. Or anything."