ots and plans with
you to gain what you will never find, and do not--"

"Do not what?" cried Katrine, with a malignant look.

Lydia did not reply, but hurried back to where Capel was trying to raise
himself up, trembling the while, as he gazed towards the window.

"Look," he said harshly. "There. Don't stop, Katrine, love. There is
danger. Don't stop now."

Katrine's face wore a strange waxen hue, as she caught the sick man's
hand.

The painful position was brought to an end by the coming of the doctors.
Katrine's quick ear was the first to give her warning of their
approach, and without another word she softly left the room, stealing
away so quietly that when Dr Heston entered, ushering in the great
physician, Lydia hardly realised that she was alone.

"Still the same," said Dr Heston. "Humph, yes. My dear madam, will
you permit me?"

Lydia looked piteously in his face, losing her self-command the while,
as Heston led her from the room, and closed the door, while as she heard
it locked on the inside and the sound of the rings passing over the rod,
she sank down sobbing on the lion-skin rug, burying her face in her
hands, and ignorant of the fact that she was being watched.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

CAPEL'S NURSES.

"This is your doing, Dr Heston," said Mr Girtle, returning to the
dining-room, indignantly, with a card in his hand.

He had been seated at lunch with the doctor, Katrine, and Artis, when
Preenham had entered the room, to say that a gentleman wished to see him
on important business.

"I dare say it is," said the doctor, "but what have I done?"

"We--the family--had decided to refrain from communication with the
police, so as not to draw attention to the peculiar circumstances that
have taken place in this house, and I agreed somewhat unwillingly,
knowing Mr Capel's feelings as to what has gone before."

"Well," said the doctor, coolly, for the old man seemed to have lost his
self-control.

"No, sir, it is not well. Someone has communicated with the police."

He held out the card in his hand, and Katrine winced, while Artis gave
her an uneasy look.

"No work of mine, my dear sir; my hands are too full of my patient.
Surely he does not say--"

"No, no," said Mr Girtle, hurriedly. "I have not seen him yet. I was
so angry that I returned at once. I really beg your pardon, but all
this trouble has rather taken me off my balance."

He nodded, and left the room, and Katrine glance