peed. Isn't that some idea? Isn't it
a dandy?"

Fanny was silent. Virginia, hardly able to control her merriment, took
up her book again. Jim was about to enter into further details when
suddenly there was a noise behind them. Fanny started up with a cry.

"Virginia! Look!" she exclaimed.

Mrs. Blaine had half fallen out of her chair. In her sleep she had
lost her balance and slipped down sideways. With the clerk's
assistance the two girls sat her up again. Apparently she was not
hurt, but her eyes were closed. She was strangely silent, and her
hands were very cold. When they laid her head gently back on the back
of the armchair they noticed that she was very white.

"She's fainted!" cried Fanny excitedly.

Virginia, greatly alarmed, exclaimed anxiously:

"Mother, dear, what's the matter? Speak to me."

Still no answer. The girls, now thoroughly frightened, ran for
restoratives. Virginia poured out some brandy. Even Jimmie was
frightened out of his usual levity and self-possession. Quickly taking
her hand, which hung over the chair limp and lifeless, he put his
finger on her pulse.

"Please telephone for the doctor, Jim!" cried Virginia, distracted,
almost in tears.

The young man looked at both girls, his face serious and white. For
once he controlled the situation. Soberly he said:

"It's too late."

CHAPTER IV

In a luxuriously furnished suite on an upper floor of one of New
York's biggest and most expensive hotels two men sat carelessly
scanning the morning newspapers before a table still covered with
breakfast dishes. It was nearly ten o'clock, long past the hour when
most people begin the day's work, and there was nothing, either in the
men's dress or manner, to suggest that they belonged to the effete and
useless idle class. On the contrary, in appearance they were typical
business men--energy, prosperity, masterfulness, showing in their
every word and gesture, in every line of their clean-cut,
strong-featured faces. On this particular morning they were not
looking their best, and the reason, as well as the explanation of
their late rising might possibly be found in the disorder which a
cursory glance around the room revealed. Dress coats, white ties,
patent leather pumps and other paraphernalia of evening wear were
scattered here and there, just as each article had been thrown down
when they had returned home the night before, while on a side table
were a couple of champagne bottles--emp