oked inquiringly at the physician.

"Mrs. Jones," began Dr. Anstruther, "is really dying. I cannot say how
long she may survive, but it is a matter of days--perhaps hours. Her
greatest anxiety at present is to be reconciled with you, whom she has
not seen or even communicated with for years."

"Did she say that?"

"Yes."

"And she wants to be reconciled?"

"She does."

"Rather a queer notion, that," remarked Mr. Jones, musingly.

"Very natural, I think, under the circumstances," stiffly replied the
doctor. "She has every confidence in you and admires your character
exceedingly, although it was her desire that you live apart."

The man's stolid countenance relaxed in a grin--a somewhat scornful and
unbelieving expression--but he did not speak. He was not a very tall
man; he was thin of figure and hardened of muscle; his head was bald in
front, giving him the appearance of a high forehead, and the hair at
the back and around the ears was beginning to gray. His eyes were light
blue; his nose was shapely and his jaws prominent and tightly set in
repose. His age was about forty.

"Mrs. Jones," continued the doctor, "knows that you are due to arrive
at this time and is eagerly counting the minutes; not that you are so
dear to her," he asserted in retaliation for the sneer upon his
hearer's lips, "but because she has important business matters to
arrange with you before she passes away."

"Business matters?"

"So she has told me. I believe," he said, after a brief period of
hesitation, during which he considered how best to handle this peculiar
artist, "that I will allow you to see your wife at once, that you may
learn her plans from her own lips."

Indeed, he had already decided that Jason Jones must have changed
materially, and for the worse, since Antoinette Seaver had known him.
Perhaps, when she had talked with the man, she would revise her opinion
of him and make other disposition of her finances and the guardianship
of her child. In that case it would not be well for him to give her
husband any inkling of her present plans. Having reached this
conclusion, Dr. Anstruther rose abruptly and said: "Come with me,
please."

Jason Jones made no demur. Without remark he followed his conductor
into the hallway and to the entrance to the suite occupied by his wife.
The governess had been instructed to take Alora out for a ride; there
was no one in the little reception room. Here, however, the doctor
halted, and