cut-glass decanter.

In the room where Mira Leroux lay, so near to the Borderland that her
always ethereal appearance was now positively appalling, a hushed group
stood about the bed.

"I think she is awake, doctor," whispered the nurse softly, peering into
the emaciated face of the patient.

Mira Leroux opened her eyes and smiled at Dr. Cumberly, who was bending
over her. The poor faded eyes turned from the face of the physician
to that of Denise Ryland, then to M. Max, wonderingly; next to Helen,
whereupon an indescribable expression crept into them; and finally to
Henry Leroux, who, with bowed head, sat in the chair beside her. She
feebly extended her thin hand and laid it upon his hair. He looked up,
taking the hand in his own. The eyes of the dying woman filled with
tears as she turned them from the face of Leroux to Helen Cumberly--who
was weeping silently.

"Look after... him," whispered Mira Leroux.

Her hand dropped and she closed her eyes again. Cumberly bent forward
suddenly, glancing back at M. Max who stood in a remote corner of the
room watching this scene.

Big Ben commenced to chime the hour of midnight. That frightful
coincidence so startled Leroux that he looked up and almost rose from
his chair in his agitation. Indeed it startled Cumberly, also, but did
not divert him from his purpose.

"It is now or never!" he whispered.

He took the seemingly lifeless hand in his own, and bending over Mira
Leroux, spoke softly in her ear:

"Mrs. Leroux," he said, "there is something which we all would ask you
to tell us; we ask it for a reason--believe me."

Throughout the latter part of this scene the big clock had been chiming
the hour, and now was beating out the twelve strokes of midnight; had
struck six of them and was about to strike the seventh.

SEVEN! boomed the clock.

Mira Leroux opened her eyes and looked up into the face of the
physician.

EIGHT!...

"Who," whispered Dr. Cumberly, "is he?"

NINE!

In the silence following the clock-stroke, Mira Leroux spoke almost
inaudibly.

"You mean... MR. KING?"

TEN!

"Yes, yes! Did you ever SEE him?"...

Every head in the room was craned forward; every spectator tensed up to
the highest ultimate point.

"Yes," said Mira Leroux quite clearly; "I saw him, Dr. Cumberly... He
is"...

ELEVEN!

Mira Leroux moved her head and smiled at Helen Cumberly; then seemed
to sink deeper into the downy billows of the bed. Dr. Cumberly stood up
v