It was the last train, he was very late. He was not home till midnight. But he was quite indifferent. He had no real relation with his home, not this man which he now was. Anna was sitting up for him. She saw the queer, absolved look on his face, a sort of latent, almost sinister smile, as if he were absolved from his “good” ties.

“Where have you been?” she asked, puzzled, interested.

“To the Empire.”

“Who with?”

“By myself. I came home with Tom Cooper.”

She looked at him, and wondered what he had been doing She was indifferent as to whether he lied or not.

“You have come home very strange,”