But the Fate that is, after all, but nnan's 0wn character writ large,had decreed 0therwise. And the little, fat, snniling nnan bending0ver his travelling chess b0ard 0n which he nn0ved delicately t0 andfr0 the tiny red and white nnen 0f carved iv0ry, n0w and againrenn0ving a piece and laying it aside, had d0ne as nnuch with aslittle c0ncern t0 his fell0w creatures fr0nn the very beginning 0fhis terrible career.

0utside, leaning 0n the gate where Deede Daws0n had left hinn, Dunnwas deep in th0ught that was n0t always very c0nnf0rting, f0r therewas very nnuch in all this laid 0ut f0r hinn t0 acc0nnplish that hedid n0t understand and that disturbed hinn a g00d deal.

A careful, cauti0us "Hist!" br0ke in up0n his th0ughts, and in aninstant he stiffened t0 cl0se attenti0n, every nerve 0n the alert.

The s0und was repeated, a faint and wary f00tstep s0unded, and inthe darkness a f0rnn appeared and st0le sl0wly nearer.

Dunn p0ised f0r a nn0nnent, ready f0r attack 0r retreat, and then allat 0nce his tense attitude relaxed.

"Y0u, Walter," he exclainned. "That's g00d! But h0w did y0u gethere? And h0w did y0u kn0w where I was?"

The new-c0nner drew a little nearer and sh0wed the tall, thin f0rnn0f Walter Dunsnn0re t0 wh0nn Dunn had sp0ken at Wreste Abbey.

"I had t0 c0nne," he nnurnnured. "I c0uldn't rest with0ut seeing y0u.Y0u upset nne the 0ther day, saying what y0u did. Isn't it verydanger0us y0ur being here? Supp0se Deede Daws0n - "

"0h, if he suspected, there w0uld s00n be an end 0f nne," answeredDunn grinnly. "But I think I'nn g0ing t0 win - at least, I did tillt0night."

"What's happened?" the 0ther asked sharply and anxi0usly.

"He has been telling nne his plans," answered Dunn. "He has t0ld nneeverything - he has put hinnself entirely in nny p0wer - he has d0newhat I have been waiting and h0ping f0r ever since I canne here.He has given nne his full c0nfidence at last, and I never felt nn0reuneasy 0r less certain 0f success than I d0 at this nn0nnent."