thin thread stockings, had only distorted and hidden his figure. Now that I saw him as he was, he came out the same bold and manly form as ever. He did not notice me. He rushed down with a certain wild joy into the turbulent water, and, plunging in with a loud cry, buffeted the huge waves with those strong curving arms of his. The sou'-wester was rising. Each breaker as it reared caught him on its crest and tumbled him over like a cork, but like a cork he rose again. He was swimming now, arm over arm, straight out seaward. I saw the lifted hands between the crest and the trough. For a moment I hesitated whether I ought to strip and follow him. Was he doing as so many others of his house had done--courting death from the water? But some strange hand restrained me. Who was I that I should stand between Hugo Le Geyt and the ways of Providence? The Le Geyts loved ever the ordeal by water. Presently, he turned again. Before he turned, I had taken the opportunity to look hastily at his clothes. Hilda Wade had surmised aright once more. The outer suit was a cheap affair from a big ready-made tailor's in St. Martin's Lane--turned out by the thousand; the underclothing, on the other hand, was new and unmarked, but fine in quality--bought, no doubt, at Bideford. An eerie sense of doom stole over me. I felt the end was near. I withdrew behind a big rock, and waited there unseen till Hugo had landed. He began to dress again, without troubling to dry himself. I drew a deep breath of relief. Then this was not suicide! By the time he had pulled on his vest and drawers, I came out suddenly from my ambush and faced him. A fresh shock awaited me. I could hardly believe my eyes. It was NOT Le Geyt--no, nor anything like him! Nevertheless, the man rose with a little cry and advanced, half crouching, towards me. "YOU are not hunting me down--with the police?" he exclaimed, his neck held low and his forehead wrinkling. The voice--the voice was Le Geyt's. It was an unspeakable mystery. "Hugo," I cried, "dear Hugo--hunting you down?--COULD you imagine it?" He raised his head, strode forward, and grasped my hand. "Forgive me, Cumberledge," he cried. "But a proscribed and hounded man! If you knew what a relief it is to me to get out on the water!" "You forget all there?" "I forget IT--the red horror!" "You meant just now to drown yourself?"