member aright."

"Yes," admitted Olga reluctantly.

"I don't know quite how you managed it," he commented. "However, we are
none of us infallible. Now tell me--without reservation--exactly what
passed this morning between you two girls and Hunt-Goring."

With quivering lips she began to tell him. There were certain items of
that conversation with Hunt-Goring, of which, though they were branded
deep upon her mind, she could not bring herself to speak. It was a
difficult recital in any case, and the grim silence with which he
listened did not make it any easier.

"Have you told me everything?" he asked at last.

She answered steadily. "Everything that concerns Violet!"

He looked at her very closely for a few moments, and she saw his mouth
take a cynical, downward curve.

"Hunt-Goring has my sympathy," he observed enigmatically. "Well, I think
you are right. I had better keep out of the way for the present. I shall
know better what course to take in the morning. Her state of mind just
now is quite abnormal, but she may very well have settled down a little
by that time. She will probably go through a stage of lethargy and
depression after this. Her brother should be back again in a week's
time. We may manage to ward off another outbreak till then. But, mind,
you are not to be left alone with her during any part of that week.
There must always be someone within call."

"I shall be within call," said Nick.

Max glanced at him. "Yes, you will be quite useful no doubt. But I must
have a nurse as well."

"A nurse!" exclaimed Olga.

He looked back at her. "You don't seriously suppose I am going to leave
you and Mrs. Briggs--and Nick--in sole charge?"

"But, Max," she protested, almost incoherent in her dismay, "she will be
herself again to-morrow or the next day! This isn't going to last!"

"What do you mean?" he said.

She controlled herself with a sharp effort, warned of the necessity to
do so by his tone.

"I mean that--hysteria--isn't a thing that lasts long as a rule."

"It isn't hysteria," he said.

She flinched in spite of herself. "But you think she will get better?"
she urged.

He was silent a moment, looking at her. "I will tell you exactly what I
think, Olga," he said then, in a tone that was utterly different from
any he had used to her before. "For you certainly ought to know now. The
tale you heard this morning was true--every word of it. I heard it
myself from Bruce Campion and also from Ker