thing that had preceded her collapse. In that case
what should he do? how should he behave? He knew he could never rid
his mind entirely of the suspicion she had planted there, yet how to
prove it?

The door opened quietly, and Chalmers came in, bringing him a cup of
coffee.

"The doctor's gone to his room, now, sir, otherwise I wouldn't be here.
I've stuck about the hall and stairs the whole time, sir."

"What about her ladyship?"

"She's never tried to leave her room, sir. I've heard her trying to
get on to someone on the telephone, it seems as though she's been at it
for hours, but I fancy she hasn't got through."

"Has she had any chance of speaking with the doctor?"

"She has not, sir, at least not without my knowing, and I daresay she
didn't want to risk that. Aline, though--that's a woman I never could
stick, sir, I don't mind telling you!--Aline has been prowling around
the end of the hall near your room a couple of times. I caught her at
it, and she pretended to be looking out of the window."

"You think she was trying to get into my room?" Roger asked
thoughtfully.

"I'm pretty sure of it, sir."

Roger drank his coffee in silence, mentally reviewing this information.

"There is another little thing I've noticed, sir," Chalmers continued.
"There are a number of keys gone from doors about the house. I've
counted seven missing, and I could take my oath they were in the locks
earlier in the evening. There's never any reason for taking them out."

"Then you think Aline has taken them to see if any of them will open my
door?"

"That's it, sir. I could have told her there's no two keys alike in
this house," he added grimly. "She came to me very friendly like at
about ten o'clock, and tried to pump me to find out what I knew. Had
the nurse come to, and was she able to talk yet? Was it true she had
staggered in so drunk she couldn't see proper, and had fallen in a heap
on the floor? Things like that, sir. Not much change she got out of
me. I shut her up in no time, sir. I knew what she was after."

Hours passed. Roger sat on alone in the half-lighted room, analysing
his impressions and going over in his mind the whole course of his
father's illness, from the moment he had entered the house. To save
his life he could not think of one suspicious circumstance, nothing
that appeared even particularly unusual. Yet, no! What about that
cablegram which was never sent? With a start he reca