to do it, it was wrong of us, of course,
but we couldn't possibly guess what would happen. I went to sleep, and
so far as I knew I never woke again for more than six months, not till
the Schools were over."

"But, my darling, I skated with you constantly in the Christmas
Vacation, and took your work through the Term. I assure you that you
were quite awake then."

"I remember nothing about it. All I know is that some one got my First
for me."

"But, Mildred--"

"Why do you call me Mildred? That's what they called me when I woke up
last time; but my own name's Milly."

Stewart rose and paced the room, then came back.

"It's simply a case of collapse of memory, dear. It's very trying, but
don't let's be fanciful about it."

"I thought it was only that--I told you, didn't I, something of that
sort? But I didn't know then, nobody told me, that I wasn't like myself
at all those months I couldn't remember. Last night in my sleep I
knew--I knew that some one else, something else--I can't describe it,
it's impossible--was struggling hard with me in my own brain, my own
body, trying to hold me down, to push me back again into the place,
whatever it was, I came out of. But I got stronger and stronger till I
was quite myself and the thing couldn't really stop me. I dare say it
only lasted a few seconds, then I felt quite free--free from the
struggle, the pressure; and I saw myself standing in the room, with some
kind of white floating stuff over my head and about me, and I saw myself
open the door and go out of the room. I wasn't a bit surprised, but I
just lay there quiet and peaceful. Then suddenly it came to me that I
couldn't have seen myself, that the person, the figure I had seen go
out of the door was the other one, the creature I had been struggling
with, who had stolen my shape; and it came to me that she was gone to
steal you--to steal your heart from me and take you away; and you
wouldn't know, you would think it was I, and you would follow her and
love her and never know it was not your own wife you were loving. And I
was mad with anger; I never knew before what it meant, Ian, to be as
angry as that. I struggled hard to get up, and at last I managed it, and
I came down-stairs after her, but I couldn't find her, and I was sure
that she had gone and had taken you away with her. And you say I really
did come down-stairs."

"Yes, darling, and if you had been awake instead of asleep, as you
obviously were, you wo