side of her. She
held in one hand the tumbler from which, repeatedly that evening, Mary
had given the patient his medicine: into this she was pouring, with an
appearance of care, something from a small dark bottle.

With a sudden suspicion of foul play, Mary glided swiftly into the
room, and on to where she stood. It was Sepia! She started with a
smothered shriek, turned white, and almost dropped the bottle; then,
seeing who it was, recovered herself. But such a look as she cast on
Mary! such a fire of hate as throbbed out of those great black eyes!
Mary thought for a moment she would dart at her. But she turned away,
and walked swiftly to the door. Joseph, however, peeping in behind
Mary, had caught a glimpse of the bottle and tumbler, also of Sepia's
face. Seeing her now retiring with the bottle in her hand, he sprang
after her, and, thanks to the fact that she had locked the door, was in
time to snatch it from her. She turned like a wild beast, and a
terrible oath came hissing as from a feline throat. When, however, she
saw, not Mary, but the unknown figure of a powerful man, she turned
again to the door and fled. Joseph shut and locked it, and went back to
the closet. Mary drew near the bed.

"Where have you been all this time?" asked the patient, querulously;
"and who was that went out of the room just now? What's all the hurry
about?"

Anxious he should be neither frightened nor annoyed, Mary replied to
the first part of his question only.

"I had to go and tell a friend, who was waiting for me, that I
shouldn't be home to-night. But here I am now, and I will not leave you
again."

"How did the door come to be locked? And who was that went out of the
room?"

While he was thus questioning, Joseph crept softly out of the window;
and all the rest of the night he lay on the top of the wall under it.

"It was Miss Yolland," answered Mary.

"What business had she in my room?"

"She shall not enter it again while I am here."

"Don't let Mewks in either," he rejoined. "I heard the door unlock and
lock again: what did it mean?"

"Wait till to-morrow. Perhaps we shall find out then."

He was silent a little.

"I must get out of this house, Mary," he sighed at length.

"When the doctor comes, we shall see," said Mary.

"What! is the doctor coming? I am glad of that. Who sent for him?"

"I don't know; I only heard he was coming."

"But your lawyer, Mary--what's his name?--will be here first: we'll
talk