pose；　he　is　a　man　that　the　first　casual　gaze　instantly　returns　to
  with　sharpened　focus。　　You　have　seen　gymnasts　whose　normal　movements
  were　slowly　performed　springs；　just　as　rust　is　a　slow　combustion　and
  fire　the　same　thing　in　less　time。　　Well；　Clinton　Browne　strongly
  suggested　that　sort　of　athlete。　　Add　to　this　a　regularly　formed；
  clearly　cut；　and　all…but…beautiful　face；　with　a　pair　of　wonderfully
  piercing；　albeit　somewhat　shifty；　black　eyes；　and　one　need　not　marvel
  that　men　as　well　as　women　stared　at　him。　　I　have　spoken　of　his　gaze
  as　〃somewhat　shifty；〃　yet　am　not　altogether　sure　that　in　that　term
  I　accurately　describe　it。　　What　first　fastened　my　attention　was　this
  vague；　unfocussed；　roving；　quasi…introspective　vision　flashing　with
  panther…like　suddenness　into　a　directness　that　seemed　to　burn　and
  pierce　one　like　the　thrust　of　a　hot　stiletto；　His　face　was
  clean…shaven；　save　for　a　mere　thumb…mark　of　black　hair　directly
  under　the　centre　of　his　lower　lip。　　This　Iago…like　tab　and　the
  almost　fierce　brilliancy　of　his　concentrated　gaze　gave　to　his
  countenance　at　times　a　sinister；　Machiavellian　expression　that　was
  irresistible　and　which；　to　my　thinking；　seriously　marred　an　otherwise
  fine　face。　　Of=20course　due　allowance　must　be　made　for　the　strong
  prejudice　I　have　against　any　form　of　beard。　　However；　I'd　wager　a
  box　of　my　best　liver…pills　against　any　landscape　Browne　ever　painted；
  …　I　don't　care　if　it's　as　big　as　a　cyclorama；　…　that　if　he　had　known
  how　completely　Gwen　shared　my　views；　…　how　she　disliked　the
  appearance　of　bewhiskered　men；　…　that　delicately　nurtured　little
  imperial　would　soon　have　been　reduced　to　a　tender　memory；　…　that　is
  to　say；　if　a　physician　can　diagnose　a　case　of　love　from　such　symptoms
  as　devouring　glances　and　an　attentiveness　so　marked　that　it　quite
  disgusted　Maitland；　who　repeatedly　measured　his　rival　with　the
  apparent　cold　precision　of　a　mathematician；　albeit　there　was　warmth
  enough　underneath。
  This　singular　self…poise　is　one　of　Maitland's　most　noticeable
  characteristics　and　is；　I　think；　rather　remarkable　in　a　man　of　such
  strong　emotional　tendencies　and　lightning…like　rapidity　of　thought。
  No　doubt　some　small　portion　of　it　is　the　result　of　acquirement；　for
  life　can　hardly　fail　to　teach　us　all　something　of　this　sort；　still
  I　cannot　but　think　that　the　larger　part　of　it　is　native　to　him。
  Born　of　well…to…do　parents；　he　had　never　had　the　splendid　tuition
  of　early　poverty。　　As　soon　as　he　had　left　college　he　had　studied　law；
  and　had　been　admitted　to　the　bar。　　This　he　had　done　more　to　gratify
  the　wishes　of　his　father　than　to　further　any　desires　of　his　own；　but
  he　had　soon　found　the　profession；　so　distasteful　to　him　that　he
  practically　abandoned　it　in　favour　of　scientific　research。　　True；
  he　still　occasionally　took　a　legal　case　when　it　turned　upon
  scientific　points　which　interested　him；　but；　as　he　once　confessed
  to　me；　he　swallowed；　at　such　times；　the　bitter　pill　of　the　law
  for　the　sugar　coating　of　science　which　enshrouded　it。　　This　legal
  training　could；　therefore；　it　seems　to　me；　have　made　no　deep　or
  radical　change　in　his　character；　which　leads　me　to　think　that　the
  self…control　he　exhibited；　despite　the　angry　disgust　with　which　I
  know　Browne's　so　apparent　attentions　to　Gwen　inspired　him；　must；
  for　the　most　part；　have　been　native　to　him　rather　than　acquired。
  Nothing　worthy　of　record　occurred　until　evening；　at　least　nothing
  which　at　the　time　impressed　me　as　of　import；　though　I　afterward
  remembered　that　Darrow's　behaviour　was　somewhat　strange。　　He
  appeared　singularly　preoccupied；　and　on　one　occasion　started
  nervously　when　I　coughed　behind　him。　　He　explained　that　a
  disagreeable　dream　had　deprived　him　of　his　sleep　the　previous　night
  and　left　his　nerves　somewhat　unstrung；　and　I　thought　no　more　of　it。
  When　the　light　failed　we　were　all　invited　into　the　parlour　to
  listen　to　a　song　by　Miss　Darrow。　　The　house；　as　you　are　perhaps
  aware；　overlooks　Dorchester　Bay。　　The　afternoon　had　been　very　hot；
  but　at　dusk　a　cold　east　wind　had　sprung　up；　which；　as　it　was　still
  early　in　the　season；　was　not　altogether　agreeable　to　our　host；
  sitting　as　he　was；　back　to；　though　fully　eight　feet　from；　an　open
  window　looking　to　the　east。　　Maitland；　with　his　usual　quick
  observation；　noticed　his　discomfort　and　asked　if　he　should　not
  close　the　window。　　The　old　gentleman　did　not　seem　to　hear　the
  question　until　it　was　repeated；　when；　starting　as　if　from　a　reverie；
  he　said：　〃If　it　will　not　be　too　warm　for　the　rest　of　you；　I　would
  like　to　have　it　partly　closed；　say　to　within　six　inches；　for　the
  wind　is　cold〃；　and　he　seemed　to　relapse　again　into　his　reverie。
  Maitland　was　obliged　to　use　considerable　strength　to　force　the
  window　down；　as　it　stuck　in　the　casing；　and　when　it　finally　gave
  way　it　closed　with　a　loud　shrieking　sound　ending　in　the　bang　of
  the　counterweights。　　At　the　noise　Darrow　sprang　to　his　feet；
  exclaiming：　〃Again！　　The　same　sound！　　I　knew　I　could　not　mistake
  it！〃　but　by　this　time　Gwen　was　at　his　side；　pressing　him　gently　back
  into　his　seat；　as　she　said　to　him　in　an　undertone　audible　to　all　of
  us：　〃What　is　it；　father？〃　　The　old　gentleman　only　pressed　her
  closer　by　way　of　reply；　while　he　said　to　us　apologetically：　〃You
  must　excuse　me；　gentlemen。　　I　have　a　certain　dream　which　haunts
  me；　…　the　dream　of　someone　striking　me　out　of　the　darkness。　　Last
  night　I　had　the　same　dream　for　the　seventh　time　and　awoke　to　hear
  that　window　opened。　　There　is　no　mistaking　the　sound　I　heard　just
  now；　it　is　identical　with　that　I　heard　last　night。　　I　sprang　out
  of　bed；　took　a　light；　and　rushed　down　here；　for　I　am　not　afraid
  to　meet　anything　I　can　see；　but　the　window　was　closed　and　locked；
  as　I　had　left　it！　　What　do　you　think；　Doctor；〃　he　said；　turning　to
  me；　〃are　dreams　ever　prophetic？〃
  〃I　have　never；〃　I　replied；　anxious　to　quiet　him；　〃had　any
  personal　experience　justifying　such　a　conclusion。〃　I　did　not　tell
  him　of　certain　things　which　had　happened　to　friends　of　mine；　and
  so　my　reply　reassured　him。
  Maitland；　who　had　been　startled　by　the　old　gentleman's　conduct；
  now　returned　to　the　window　and　opened　it　about　six　inches。　　There
  was　no　other　window　open　in　the　room；　and　yet　so　fresh　was　the　air
  that　we　were　not　uncomfortable。　　Darrow；　with　ill…concealed　pride；
  then　asked　his　daughter　to　sing；　and　she　left　him　and　went　to　the
  piano。　　〃Shall　I　not　light　the　lamp？〃　I　asked。　　〃I　think　we　shall
  not　need　it；〃　the　old　gentleman　replied；　〃music　is　always　better
  in　the　gloaming。〃
  In　order　that　you　may　understand　what　follows；　it　will　be　necessary
  for　me　to　describe　to　you　our　several　positions　in　the　room。　The
  apartment　is　large；　nearly　square；　and　occupies　the　southeast　corner
  of　the　house。　　The　eastern　side　of　the　room　has　one　window；　that
  which　had　been　left　open　about　six　inches；　and　on　the　southern　side
  of　the　room　there　were　two　windows；　both　of　which　were　securely
  fastened　and　the　blinds　of　which　had　been　closed　by　the　painters　who；
  that　morning；　had　primed　the　eastern　and　southern　sides　of　the　house；
  preparatory　to　giving　it　a　thorough　repainting。　　On　the　north　side　of
  the　room；　but　much　nearer　to　the　western　than　the　eastern　end；　are
  folding　doors。　　These　on　this　occasion　were　closed　and　fastened。　　On
  the　western　side　of　the　room　is　the　piano；　and　to　the　left　of　it；
  near　the　southwest　corner；　is　a　door　leading　to　the　hallway。　　This
  door　was　closed。　　As　I　have　already　told　you；　Darrow　sat　in　a
  high…backed　easy…chair　facing　the　piano　and　almost　in　the　centre　of
  the　room。　The　partly　opened　window　on　the　east　side　was　directly
  behind　him　and　fully　eight　feet　away。　　Herne　and　Browne　sat　upon
  Darrow's　right　and　a　little　in　front　of　him　against　the　folding
  doors；　while　Maitland　and　I　were　upon　his　left；　between　him　and　the
  hall　door。　　Gwen　was　at　the　piano。　　There　are　no　closets；　draperies；
  or　niches　in　the　room。　I　think　you　will　now　be　able　to　understand
  the　situation　fully。
  Whether　the　gloom　of　the　scene　suggested　it　to　her；　or　whether　it
  was　merely　a　coincidence；　I　do　not　know；　but　Miss　Darrow　began　to
  sing　〃In　the　Gloaming〃　in　a　deep；　rich　contralto　voice　which　seemed
  fraught　with　a　weird；　melancholy　power。　　When　I　say　that　her　voice
  was　ineffably　sympathetic　I　would　not　have　you　confound　this　quality
  either　with　the　sepulchral　or　the　aspirated　tone　which　usually　is
  made　to　do　duty　for　sympathy；　especially　in　contralto　voices。　　Every
  note　was　as　distinct；　as　brilliantly　resonant；　as　a　cello　in　a
  master's　hand。　　So　clear；　so　full　the　notes　rang　out　that　I　could
  plainly　feel　the　chair　vibrate　beneath　me。
  〃In　the　gloaming；　0　my　darling！
  When　the　lights　are　dim　and　low；
  And　the　quiet　shadows　falling
  Softly　come　and　softly　go。
  When　the　winds　are　sobbing　faintly
  With　a　gentle　unknown　woe；
  Will　you　think　of　me　and　love　me
  As　you　did　once；　long　ago？
  〃In　the　gloaming；　0　my　darling！
  Think　not　bitterly　of　me；
  Though　I　passed　away　in　silence；
  Left　you　lonely；　set　you　free。
  For　my　heart　was　crushed　with　longing。
  What　had　been　could　neve