In the meantime the stranger had recovered himself, and seizing a pen, scrawled a few lines on a sheet of paper.

Evidently he was not satisfied with his composition, for after reading it over, he lit a match and burnt the paper.

He drank more brandy, and wrote a second letter, which, too, proved a failure, for he tore it to fragments, which he thrust into his waistcoat pocket.

Again he commenced, using greater care.

It was plain that he had forgotten where he was, for he gesticulated, uttered a broken sentence or two and evidently believed that he was in his own house.