“She’s gone!”

De Gollyer did not on the word seize the situation.

“Gone!  Who’s gone?” he said with a nervous, jerky fixing of his head, while his glance immediately sought the vista through the door to assure himself that no third person was present.

But Lightbody, unconscious of everything but his own utter grief, was threshing back and forth, repeating mechanically, with increasing staccato: 

“Gone, gone!”

“Who?  Where?”

With a sudden movement, De Gollyer caught his friend by the shoulder and faced him about as a naughty child, exclaiming:  “Here, I say, old chap, brace up!  Throw back your shoulders—­take a long breath!”

With a violent wrench, Lightbody twisted himself free, while one hand flung appealingly back, begged for time to master the emotion which burst forth in the cry: 

“Gone—­forever!”

“By Jove!” said De Gollyer, suddenly enlightened, and through his mind flashed the thought—­“There’s been an accident—­something fatal.  Tough—­devilish tough.”

He cast a furtive glance toward the bedrooms and then an alarmed one toward his friend, standing in the embrasure of the windows, pressing his forehead against the panes.

Suddenly Lightbody turned and, going abruptly to the desk, leaned heavily on one arm, raising the letter in two vain efforts.  A spasm of pain crossed his lips, which alone could not be controlled.  He turned his head hastily, half offering, half dropping the letter, and wheeling, went to an armchair, where he collapsed, repeating inarticulately: 

“Forever!”

“Who?  What?  Who’s gone?” exclaimed De Gollyer, bewildered by the appearance of a letter.  “Good heavens, dear boy, what has happened?  Who’s gone?”

Then Lightbody, by an immense effort, answered: 

“Irene—­my wife!”

And with a rapid motion he covered his eyes, digging his fingers into his flesh.

De Gollyer, pouncing upon the letter, read: 

My dear Jackie:  When you read this, I shall have left you forever—­

Then he halted with an exclamation, and hastily turned the page for the signature.

“Read!” said Lightbody in a stifled voice.

“I say, this is serious, devilishly serious,” said De Gollyer, now thoroughly amazed.  Immediately he began to read, unconsciously emphasizing the emphatic words—­a little trick of his enunciation.

When Lightbody had heard from the voice of another the message that stood written before his eyes, all at once all impulses in his brain converged into one.  He sprang up, speaking now in quick, distinct syllables, sweeping the room with the fury of his arms.

“I’ll find them; by God, I’ll find them.  I’ll hunt them down.  I’ll follow them.  I’ll track them—­anywhere—­to the ends of the earth—­and when I find them—­”

De Gollyer, sensitively distressed at such a scene, vainly tried to stop him.