Garnett--alas! Garnett was thousands of miles away, and he had not heard from him for five years.

Still, he knew the master of Castlegarry was alive, for he had seen him mentioned in a chance number of The Morning Post lately come to his hands.

What avail! Garnett was at Castlegarry, and at midnight his chance of fortune and a new life would be gone.

Then, penniless, he would have to face Mona again; and what would come of that he could not see, would not try to see.

There was an alternative he would not attempt to face until after midnight, when this crisis in his life would be over.