He shuddered and clenched his hands, closing his eyes directly after, for a maddening, horrible feeling of temptation had come over him. They were alone in that solitary room--he with this wretch whose existence in his sane moments was a curse; and who now, as he lay back there feeble, vacuous, existing only in body, not in mind, was a mere blot upon the earth, less worthy of the space he occupied than the vilest animal classed as vermin, and which man crushed out of his way without compunction, without a second thought. What sin would it be to quench the flickering life before him? He must give up all hope of ever clasping Myra to his heart, as he had given it up before, and suffer as he had suffered then; but she would be free. There would never then be any possibility of her coming face to face with this horror. And it would be so easy! One firm grasp of his nervous fingers, and the feeble beating of the miserable wretch's arteries would cease. And after? Brettison would return and find that his preparations had been vain-- that the man was lying back there in his chair--dead from a fit--the precarious life had come to an end, as might have been foretold after such a seizure--such a stroke. And it would be so easy--so easy. Stratton opened his eyes and stood gazing down at the vacant face with the lids half-closed now, and remained there as if fascinated, unable to drag himself away till, with one vigorous wrench, he turned and literally rushed into his chamber to prepare for the journey. He was absent about half an hour before he returned to make a few more preparations there. He went about the room opening cabinet and case to find money and other necessaries for his journey, busying himself, and taking care not to let his eyes rest for a moment on the figure sitting back in the chair and uneasily moving from time to time. "He is safe with me--safe with me," Stratton muttered as he went to and from his bedroom. "What thoughts will force themselves into a man's head at times!" The hours had glided by till it had grown quite dark, and still he was busy for the sake of occupying himself. But at last he could see to do no more, and he went softly to a drawer to get out matches and light his lamp. The drawer creaked as he pulled it out, and deadened a sound behind him as of one softly rising from a chair, and a piece of stone--a large fossil--grated as it was taken from the mantelpiece; but, rapt in thought, Stratton did not hear it as he opened the box, took out and struck a match, which flashed, and threw a bluish, ghastly light upon a hideous face, with beside it an arm raised to strike. The next minute there was a crash and a heavy fall. It was about half an hour later that Brettison ascended the staircase, and as he reached the landing there was a puffing and panting behind him.