ned at intervals
with a shriek and would not be quieted until she had felt of Ariadne.
Nothing I said has had the slightest effect. I'm at my wits' end! If she
doesn't get quieted soon--I finally gave her an opiate--enough to drug
her senseless for a time--I don't know what to do! I don't know what to
do!" He dropped his head into his hands and sat silent, shivering.

Rankin was looking at him, motionless, his powerful hands gripping his
knees. He did not seem to breathe at all.

The doctor sprang up and began to trot about, kicking at the legs of
the furniture and biting his nails. "Yes, I can, too! I do blame him for
the date of his death!" He went back angrily to an earlier remark.
"Hollister killed himself as gratuitously as if he had taken a pistol!
And he did it out of sheer, devilish vanity--ambition! He had worked
himself almost insane, anyhow. I'd warned him that he must take it easy,
get all the rest he could. His nerves were like fiddle-strings. And what
did he do? Made a night trip to Evanston to superintend a job entirely
outside his work. The inspector gave the machines the regular test; but
Paul wasn't satisfied. Said they hadn't come up to what he'd guaranteed
to get the contract; took charge of the test himself, ran the speed up
goodness knows how high. The inspector said he warned him, but Paul had
got going and nothing could stop
him--speed-mad--efficiency-mad--whatever you call it. And at last the
fly-wheel on the engine couldn't stand it. It went through four floors
and tore a hole in the roof--they say, in their ghastly phrase, there
isn't enough left of him for a funeral! The other men left widows and
children, too, I suppose--Oh, damn! damn! damn!" He stopped short in the
middle of the floor, his teeth chattering, his hand at his mouth.

Rankin's face showed that he was making a great effort to speak. "Would
I be allowed to see her?" he asked finally.

The doctor spun round on him, amazed. "You? Lydia? Why in the world?"

"Perhaps I could quiet her. I have been able to quiet several delirious
sick people when others couldn't."

"I don't even know she's delirious--that's what puzzles me. She seems--"

"Will you let me try?" asked Rankin again.

* * * * *

When they reached the house in Bellevue, Lydia was still in a heavy
stupor, so Mrs. Sandworth told them, showing no surprise at Rankin's
appearance. The two men sat down outside the door of her ro