time she slipped again into a new dream and lost it.

Back again now, in the old days of her girlhood! Back in that little
front garden of her mother's house, twenty odd years ago, and Gerry's
hand in hers--the hand she held to now; and Gerry's face that now,
beside her, looked so still and white and heart-broken, all aglow with
life and thoughtless youth and hope. Again she felt upon her lips his
farewell kiss, not to be renewed until ... but at the thought she
shuddered away, horror-stricken, from the nightmare that any memory
must be of what then crossed her life, and robbed them both of
happiness. And then her powers of reason simply reeled and swam, and
her brain throbbed as she caught the thought forming in it: "Better
happiness so lost, and all the misery over again, than this blow that
has come upon us now! Sally dead or dying--Sally dead or dying!" For
what was _she_, the thing we could not bear to lose, but the living
record, the very outcome, of the poisoned soil in that field of her
life her memory shrank from treading?

What was that old Scotchman--he seemed to have come back--what was
he saying outside there? Yes, listen! Fenwick starts up, all his
life roused into his face. If only that clock would end that long
unnecessary roll of warning, and strike! But before the long-deferred
single stroke comes to say another hour has passed, he is up and at
the door, with Rosalind clinging to him terrified.

"What's the news, doctor? Tell it out, man!--never fear." Rosalind
dares not ask; her heart gives a great bound, and stops, and her teeth
chatter and close tight. She could not speak if she tried.

"I wouldna like to be over-confeedent, Mr. Fenwick, and ye'll
understand I'm only geevin' ye my own eempression...."

"Yes, quite right--go on...."

"Vara parteecularly because our young friend Dr. Vereker is unwulling
to commeet himself ... but I should say a pairceptible...."

He is interrupted. For with a loud shout Dr. Conrad himself,
dishevelled and ashy-white of face, comes running from the door
opposite. The word he has shouted so loudly he repeats twice; then
turns as though to go back. But he does not reach the door, for he
staggers suddenly, like a man struck by a bullet, and falls heavily,
insensible.

There is a movement and a shouting among the scattered groups that
have been waiting, three hours past, as those nearest at hand run to
help and raise him; and the sound of voices and exultation p