my wife at once. Come, doctor!
Come, for God's sake!"

Doctor Hillhouse looked at his watch again, stood in a bewildered,
uncertain way for a few moments, and then turned quickly toward the
door and went out, Mr. Ridley following.

"Get in," he said, waving his hand in the direction of his carriage,
which still remained in front of his office. Mr. Ridley obeyed. Doctor
Hillhouse gave the driver a hurried direction, and sprang in after him.
They rode in silence for the whole distance to Mr. Ridley's dwelling.

One glance at the face of the sick woman was enough to show Doctor
Hillhouse that she was beyond the reach of professional skill. Her
disease, as he had before seen, had taken on its worst form, and was
running its fatal course with a malignant impetuosity it was impossible
to arrest. The wild fever of anxiety occasioned by her husband's
absence during that dreadful night, the cold to which, in her delirium
of fear, she had exposed herself, the great shock her delicate organism
had sustained at a time when even the slightest disturbance might lead
to serious consequences,--all these causes combined had so broken down
her vitality and poisoned her blood that nature had no force strong
enough to rally against the enemies of her life.

A groan that sounded like a wail of desperation broke from Mr. Ridley's
lips as he came in with the doctor and looked at the death-stricken
countenance of his wife. The two physicians gazed at each other with
ominous faces, and stood silent and helpless at the bedside.

When Doctor Hillhouse hurried away ten minutes afterward he knew that
he had looked for the last time upon his patient. Mr. Ridley did not
attempt to detain him. Hope had expired, and he sat bowed and crushed,
wishing that he could die.

The large quantity of opium which had been taken by Mrs. Ridley held
all her outward senses locked, and she passed away, soon after Doctor
Hillhouse retired, without giving her husband a parting word or even a
sign of recognition.

CHAPTER XVIII.

WHEN Doctor Hillhouse arrived at his office, it lacked only a quarter
of an hour to twelve, the time fixed for the operation on Mrs. Carlton.
He found Doctor Kline and Doctor Angier, who were to assist him, both
awaiting his return.

"I thought twelve o'clock the hour?" said Doctor Kline as he came in
hurriedly.

"So it is. But everything has seemed to work adversely this morning.
Mr. Ridley's wife is extremely ill--dying,