In den nacht

Summary

Marston, a successful lawyer, treats his wife with cold neglect, leaving her much in the society of young George Stanton, who is deeply in love with her. One evening when Stanton is dining at the house, Marston places the sum of eight thousand pounds in his safe and leaves for Brighton. Stanton stays with Mrs Marston till nearly two o'clock, and declares his love, but she will not give way to his pleading.

A mysterious stranger follows Marston to Brighton and finds that he is attending a dance at the appartments of a woman with whom he spends the night. The stranger returns to Marston's house, enters by the window and takes the notes from the safe. Before he goes, he witnesses Stanton's leave-taking. Marston discovers that Stanton has been with his wife till very late, and though he does not believe him guilty of the theft, he causes him to be arrested. The stranger returns the notes to Stanton in exchange for two thousand pounds and Stanton gives an envelope containing the notes to his valet to post to Marston, but before this can be done they are discovered by the police. The stranger calls on Marston and, by threatening to expose his visit to Brighton, persuades him to abandon the prosecution of Stanton and arrange for his wife to obtain a divorce.