"For a year Vancome followed much the same dissipated life as he had done previously to his marriage. He gambled, at first with caution, for he was no longer desperate, and for a time was successful, being thus enabled to indulge all his other extravagant tastes. But about the time of Mr. Soudin’s death his luck turned, and he began to lose heavily. One night while playing piquet at the W---- Club he was caught cheating. He had been suspected for some time, and a trap was laid into which he fell. As there was no room for doubt he was expelled from the Club, and no longer dared to show himself in society. His future, all the future that he cared for, was ruined, while his title only assisted to advertise his shame. For days the papers increased their circulation at his expense, and the scandal in high life was placarded on every station and shouted through every town. His wife was commended for her forethought in having refused to live with him, while the more scurrilous papers exhausted their energy in raking up as many past scandals in his life as they could discover, feeling that there was little danger of an action for libel. "It was during this outburst that I decided to see him. I had no longer any bitter feelings towards this man, and though while feeling certain that he would think at first I had come to gloat over his misery, I hoped to show that this was not the case, and that my desire was to help him. I found him sitting alone in his chambers; he had been drinking heavily for some time to drown his misery, and as I came in he looked up with dull glazed eyes which at first showed no sign of recognition. But suddenly they changed; his face became livid with anger. "’Fiend!’ he cried. ’It is your doing--and so you have come to see the end of your work! But you are mistaken--we will go down to hell together--you shall not escape me this time!’ "He took up a revolver which I had noticed lying on the table, and pointed it at me. "’There are five chambers,’ he said, ’and one is enough for me--I can spare you the other four!’ "I looked him in the face for a moment, and then said, ’Vancome, you cannot kill me, and for the present you shall not kill yourself, for at the moment you are not responsible for your actions.’ "’I will kill you!’ he cried. ’Damn you! I will!’ And he strove with all his might to pull the trigger, but was powerless. His right hand sank slowly down till it lay by his side, and his revolver dropped between his fingers on to the rug at his feet. He staggered back to his chair, and I went up to him, and placing my hand on his burning forehead made him sleep. "At this moment the door opened, and a young, showily-dressed girl entered. "’Oh!’ she cried. ’Goodness, what is the matter?’ "’Lord Vancome is ill,’ I said, ’and will have to be carefully watched. Is there any one here who could look after him?’