Not that his own existence would have been a dull or uninteresting chapter for a rainy afternoon, for Barker had led a stirring life of its kind.

But as it was necessary to strike the pathetic key, seeing that Claudius had the heroic symphony to himself, Barker embroidered skilfully a little picture in which he appeared more sinned against than sinning, inasmuch as he had been called upon to play the avenging angel.

He had succeeded, he admitted, in accomplishing his object, which in his opinion had been a justifiable one, but it had left a sore place in his heart, and he had never quite recovered from the pain it had given him to give so much pain--wholesome pain indeed, but what of that ?--to another.
"It was in New York, some years ago," he said.

"A friend of mine, such a dear good fellow, was very much in love with a reigning beauty, a Miss--; well, you will guess the name.

She threw him over, after a three months' engagement, in the most heartless manner, and he was so broken-hearted that he drank himself to death in six months at the club.
He died there one winter's evening under very painful circumstances." "A noble end," said Margaret, scornfully.