utwardly are very pompous and dictatorial, his
blustering was only veneer. The strong will power of a more determined
intellect very soon reduced him to compliance. And all that Sir Thomas
Ryder said was logical. It carried a great deal of conviction.

"Very well," said the doctor at last, "I'll give you permission to
interview my patient. But on two conditions."

"What are they?"

"That the interview takes place in my presence, and that at the first
word from me, you cease questioning my patient, and leave his room."

"Very well," assented Sir Thomas, without any hesitation, content that
he had gained his point, and quite satisfied that the two conditions
were perfectly reasonable and such that the doctor was really
compelled to impose. "I must tell you that I came to see you to-night
at the instance of my niece, Louisa Harris, who was fiancee to de
Mountford before this unfortunate business. It was she who adduced
certain arguments which she placed before me, and which led to my
strong desire to question Lord Radclyffe to-night, before de Mountford
is brought up before the magistrate to-morrow. She is down below in
the cab, waiting for me."

"I cannot allow her to see my patient also," protested the doctor
quickly.

"No, no. She shall not see him, unless you give permission."

"Why don't you send her home right away then?"

"Because," retorted Sir Thomas tartly, "you might give that
permission, you see."

The argument between the two men had lasted close on half an hour. It
was long past ten o'clock when at last Louisa saw them emerging
through the lighted door-way. The next moment they were seated in the
cab with her, Sir Thomas having given the chauffeur the address of
Lord Radclyffe's house in Grosvenor Square.

The doctor tried to be bland and polite, but he was not over
successful in this. He did not like being opposed, nor hearing his
pronouncements combated. In this case he had been forced to give way,
somewhat against his better judgment, and all the way in the cab he
was comforting himself with the thought that at any rate he would keep
women away from his patient, and that he would in any case cut the
interview very short, and demand its abrupt cessation very
peremptorily. He would then be backed up by two nurses, and we must do
him the justice to say that he was honestly anxious about his
patient.

Louisa took no notice of the fashionable doctor's efforts at
conversation. She preferred to rem