I turned instantly, and made my way back to the house.  It was still dark.  I had left the candle burning in the bedchamber.  When I looked up to the window of the room now, there was no light in it.  I advanced to the house door.  On going away, I remembered to have closed it; on trying it now, I found it open.

I waited outside, never losing sight of the house till daylight.  Then I ventured indoors—­listened, and heard nothing—­looked into the kitchen, scullery, parlor, and found nothing—­went up at last into the bedroom.  It was empty.

A picklock lay on the floor, which told me how she had gained entrance in the night.  And that was the one trace I could find of the Dream Woman.

XIII

I waited in the house till the town was astir for the day, and then I went to consult a lawyer.  In the confused state of my mind at the time, I had one clear notion of what I meant to do:  I was determined to sell my house and leave the neighborhood.  There were obstacles in the way which I had not counted on.  I was told I had creditors to satisfy before I could leave—­I, who had given my wife the money to pay my bills regularly every week!  Inquiry showed that she had embezzled every farthing of the money I had intrusted to her.  I had no choice but to pay over again.

Placed in this awkward position, my first duty was to set things right, with the help of my lawyer.  During my forced sojourn in the town I did two foolish things.  And, as a consequence that followed, I heard once more, and heard for the last time, of my wife.

In the first place, having got possession of the knife, I was rash enough to keep it in my pocket.  In the second place, having something of importance to say to my lawyer, at a late hour of the evening, I went to his house after dark—­alone and on foot.  I got there safely enough.  Returning, I was seized on from behind by two men, dragged down a passage and robbed—­not only of the little money I had about me, but also of the knife.  It was the lawyer’s opinion (as it was mine) that the thieves were among the disreputable acquaintances formed by my wife, and that they had attacked me at her instigation.  To confirm this view I received a letter the next day, without date or address, written in Alicia’s hand.  The first line informed me that the knife was back again in her possession.  The second line reminded me of the day when I struck her.  The third line warned me that she would wash out the stain of that blow in my blood, and repeated the words, “I shall do it with the knife!”

These things happened a year ago.  The law laid hands on the men who had robbed me; but from that time to this, the law has failed completely to find a trace of my wife.