In his then temper, he put Storri out of his thought.

He feared that if he considered that Russian too long he would be drawn into some indiscretion that, while curing nothing, might pull down upon Mr.Harley, and in that way upon Dorothy, the catastrophe that hung over their heads.

There could be no doubt of the black measure of that catastrophe, whatever it might be.

Richard, while no mighty admirer of Mr.Harley, had been enough in that gentleman's company to realize that it was more than a common apprehension which had sent him, limp and fear-shaken, to Dorothy begging for defense.

The longer Richard pondered, the clearer the truth grew that some deadly chance was pending against Mr.Harley, and that Storri held the key which might unlock that chance against him.