In the act of pouring a fourth he heard a sound at the back door, and with a gulp of terror he remembered that he had again forgotten to lock it.
Sanderson undoubtedly was returning! Again Maison's body became clammy with a cold sweat.

He stood in the room near the sideboard, tremblingly listening.

For again there was a step on the stairs.
When he saw the door begin to open his knees knocked together, but there entered, not the dread apparition he expected, but Alva Dale, with the limp form of a woman in his arms! The sudden breaking of the tension, and astonishment over what he saw, made Maison's voice hoarse.
"What's up now ?" he demanded.
"Hell!" muttered Dale.

He told Maison the whole story--with some reservations.
"I was sparkin' her--like I've been doin' for a long time.

We had a tiff over--over somethin'-- an' I pushed her.