during the next few days. Then he told himself that his attendance at the last rites of his uncle had made him morbid, and was more or less successful in dismissing the affair from his mind. 

He had many friends in common with the Lardners. Early in February he was invited for a week's hunting to a house at which Betty Lardner was also a guest. 

She had not forgotten. She did her best to avoid him, and succeeded remarkably well, in spite of the fact that their hostess, knowing something of young Cargill's feelings, made several efforts to throw them together. 

One day at the end of the hunt he came alongside of her and they walked their horses home together. When he was sure that they were out of earshot he asked: 

"You haven't forgiven me yet?" 

"You know the conditions," she replied banteringly. 

"You leave me no alternative to suicide," he protested. 

"That would be cheating," she said. "You must be drowned honestly, or it's no good." 

Then he made a foolish reply. He thought her humour forced and it annoyed him. Remember that he was exasperated. He had looked forward to meeting her, and now she was treating him with studied coldness over what still seemed to him a comparatively trifling matter. 

"I am afraid," he said, "that that is hardly likely to occur. The fact of my being a townsman instead of a drunken boatman doesn't give your legend a fair chance!" 

Less than an hour afterwards he was having his bath before dressing for dinner. The water was deliciously hot, and the room was full of steam. As he lay in the bath a drowsiness stole over him. Enjoying the keen physical pleasure of it, he thought what a wholly delightful thing was a hot bath after a day's hard hunting. His mind, bordering on sleep, dwelt lazily on hot baths in general. And then with a startling suddenness came the thought that, before now, men had been drowned in their baths! 

With a shock he realised that he had almost fallen asleep. He tried to rouse himself, but a faintness had seized him. That steam--he could not breathe! He was certain he was going to faint. 

With a desperate effort of the will he hurled himself out of the bath and threw 

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