I wandered so far that I had to hire a conveyance at some village at which I halted toward nightfall. As soon as I was at the house I ordered my valet to pack, and wrote Edna a note saying that neglected business compelled me to bolt for London. “But I’ll be back,” I wrote, at the command of human decency. “I feel that I can go, as you are almost well.” Half an hour later I was in the train for London. A letter, feebly scrawled, came from her the next day but one--a brief loving note, saying that she understood and that I knew how eagerly she was looking forward to my return--“but don’t worry, dearest, about me. I shall soon be well, now that my conscience is clear and all is peace and love between us. I know how you hate to write letters, but you will telegraph me every day.” * * * * * How I got through those next few weeks I cannot tell. I had no sense of the reality of the world about me or of my own thoughts and actions. Every once in a while--sometimes when I was talking with the men whose company I sought, again when I was alone in bed and would start abruptly from sleep--I pinched myself or struck myself violently to see if I was awake. Edna’s letters were daily and long. I read them, stared at them, felt less certain than ever of my sanity or of my being awake. I sent her an occasional telegram, dictated to Rossiter--a vague sentence of congratulation on her better health or something of that kind. Soon this formality degenerated to a request to Rossiter: “And telegraph Mrs. Loring.” Or he would say, “Shall I send Mrs. Loring a telegram?” and I would reply, “Yes--do please.” It was obviously necessary that I should not see her before she was well enough to be talked to frankly. I invented excuses for staying away until my ability in that direction gave out. Then Rossiter, best of secretaries, divining my plight, came to the rescue. I gave him a free hand. He went too far, created in her predisposed mind the illusion that I was champing with impatience at the business that persisted in keeping me away from her. I do not blame him; he took the only possible course.