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The police had brought a cab with them, and in this I escorted Miss Morstan back to her hoelic fashion of wo as there was some one weaker than herself to support, and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper In the cab, however, she first turned faint, and then burst into a passion of weeping,--so sorely had she been tried by the adventures of the night She has told ht uessed the struggle within my breast, or the effort of self-restraint which held me back

My sympathies and arden I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet, brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips She eak and helpless, shaken in e to obtrude love upon her at such a time Worse still, she was rich If Holmes's researches were successful, she would be an heiress Was it fair, was it honorable, that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intiht she not look upon ar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her ra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier between us

It was nearly two o'clock e reached Mrs Cecil Forrester's The servants had retired hours ago, but Mrs Forrester had been so interested by the strange e which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return She opened the door herself, a ave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how reeted her She was clearly no mere paid dependant, but an honored friend I was introduced, and Mrs Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures I explained, however, the importance of ress which we lance back, and I still seeraceful, clinging figures, the half-opened door, the hall light shining through stained glass, the baro to catch even that passing glilish home in the midst of the wild, dark business which had absorbed us