it."

"How long ago was this?" came slowly from Captain Bayley's lips.

"About seventeen years ago," Mrs. Holl said. "The mother died a few days
afterwards; the child is our Harry; and I came to ask you--but, good
lawks!"

An ashen greyness had been stealing across the old officer's face, and
Mrs. Holl was terrified at seeing him suddenly fall forward across the
table.

She rushed to the door to ask for help. James was in the hall, having
waited there, expecting momentarily to hear his master tell him to show
his visitor out. He began to utter exclamations of dismay at seeing his
master's senseless figure.

"I will lift him up," she said. "Run and fetch the butler and the cook,
and then go for the doctor as quick as you can run; he has got a
stroke."

The butler was first upon the scene. Mrs. Holl had already lifted
Captain Bayley into a sitting position. "I have taken off his necktie
and opened his collar," she said. The butler, who was unaware of Mrs.
Holl's presence there, was astonished at the scene.

"Who are you?" he gasped, "and what have you been doing to the Captain?
If you have killed him it will be a hanging matter, you know."

"Don't you be a fool," retorted Mrs. Holl sharply, "but run for some
water; he has got a stroke, though what it came from is more nor I can
tell."

To be called a fool by this unknown woman of coarse appearance roused
the butler's faculties. He was sincerely attached to his master, and
without reply he at once hurried away for water.

In five minutes the doctor, who lived close by, entered. Mrs. Holl was
still holding up the insensible man; Alice stood crying beside her, the
servants were looking on.

"Open the windows," he said.

Then he felt the Captain's pulse. For some time he stood silent; then he
said--

"Lay him down at full length on the couch." Mrs. Holl, without the least
effort, lifted the slight figure and laid it on the sofa.

"Now," the doctor said, "will you all leave the room except Miss Hardy
and you?" he nodded to Mrs. Holl. As the servants retired reluctantly,
the butler said--

"Please, sir, I don't know whether you know it, but that woman was with
him alone when he got insensible. I don't know what she did to him, but
I should recommend that we should have a policeman in readiness."

"Nonsense," the surgeon said. "However, it will be better that she
should retire; but let her wait outside, close at hand, in case he
wishes to speak to her."