ed that he had deserted her, like most of her other
fair-weather friends, and was trying to make herself believe that he
was unworthy of her regard.

Poor Ray! it had fared hard with him during all this time, although not
in the way that his father and the detectives feared.

We last saw him just after he had discovered the shred that had been torn
from Mrs. Vanderbeck's dress; but when Doctor Huff again went to him he
found him prostrate upon the floor in a high fever and delirious.

For four weeks he lay thus. He had taken a severe cold, and that, with
the excitement and anxiety caused by the loss of the diamonds, had
brought on the illness.

When Doctor Wesselhoff returned after a hard fight with disease in his
wife's case, he found him very low, and just at the turning point in his
fever.

He bestowed great commendation upon his pupil, however, for his
management of the case, which, he said, he could not have treated
better himself.

He expressed himself as very much surprised, because none of the young
man's friends had called to make any inquiries about him; it certainly
showed a lack of interest, if not a positive neglect, he thought.

He believed that the fever would turn favorably, for the young man had a
naturally vigorous constitution, and he had known of persons recovering
who had possessed far less vitality.

Ray did pass the crisis successfully, but he was very weak for many days
longer; too weak even to notice where he was, or who was caring for him.

But, as he gained a little strength, he looked curiously about him, then
memory began to assert itself--he recalled the events which had occurred
on that fateful day, when he had been made a captive, and he realized
that he had been moved from that dismal padded chamber to a large and
airy room in another portion of the house.

The next time Doctor Wesselhoff came to his bedside, after he had come
thoroughly to himself, he said, in a grave but authoritative voice:

"Doctor Wesselhoff, sit down if you please; I want to talk with you for a
few moments."

The physician obeyed, but with some surprise, for both the look and
manner of his patient convinced him that he was perfectly rational.

"I have been very ill, have I not?" Ray inquired.

"Yes, but you are much better and steadily improving."

"How long have I been sick?"

"It is more than five weeks now since you were attacked."

Ray frowned at this information.

How must his father feel