It was nearly ten now. He had no desire to go out again. It wanted two hours quite to his usual bed-time. But a strange sense of drowsiness began to steal over him, and he went off to his bed.
“What a day this has been!” he muttered, as he laid his head on the pillow.
CHAPTER IV.
“I ONLY REAPED WHAT I SOWED.”
Hammond awaited the woman whom he had saved from drowning.
“She has slept fairly well,” the landlady told him, “and I made her eat a good breakfast that I carried up to her myself, Mr. Hammond!”
Now he waited to speak to her. A moment or two more, and the landlady ushered her into the room, then slipped away.
“How can I ever repay you, sir!” cried the woman, seizing the hand that Hammond held out to her.
For a moment or two her emotion was too great for further speech. Hammond led her to an armchair and seated her. She sobbed convulsively for a moment or two. He allowed her to sob. Presently tears came. The paroxysm passed, the tears relieved her, and she lifted her sad, beautiful eyes to his face.
“You know—oh, yes, you must know, Mr. Hammond—(I recognized you last night)—how I came to be in the water. I tried to take my life. I was miserable, despairing! God forgive me.”