vanished. In its place came stark
terror. For she found herself held motionless, when half way through the
port-hole, with her arms bound fast by the pressure. She struggled
violently, but to no avail. She was caught prisoner with a ruthless
firmness that could not be escaped. Her frantic strivings did not budge
her body the fraction of an inch either forward or backward. Indeed, it
seemed that her futile endeavors to free herself only succeeded in
wedging her more securely. She fancied that her own physical violence
was causing her body to swell so that it should be gripped more fiercely
by the unyielding circumference of the window. There flashed on her a
memory of how once she had tried on a friend's ring, had tried it on a
finger too large; of how she had pushed it down easily enough over the
joint; of how she could not push it back again. She remembered how the
finger had swiftly swollen until the ring was deep sunken in the
reddened flesh. Now, she imagined her body, caught within the metal rim
of the port-hole, was thus reddened and swollen. Her plight filled her
with anguish. The dread of it made her forget in this new, overmastering
fear all that she had so greatly dreaded hitherto.... Her voice broke in
a scream:

"Help! Oh, help! Help!"

Almost instantly, as her voice ceased, Ethel heard the sound of hurrying
feet on the deck above. She twisted her neck to look upward, and saw the
pleasantly smiling face of Doctor Gifford Garnet, as he peered over the
hurricane rail. In that moment of relief, the girl welcomed the familiar
countenance of the family physician. She had no thought for the cunning
smile that answered to her anguished appeal. She realized only that here
was one to succor her in her extremity. She called out to him
imploringly:

"Oh, Doctor, help me please. I am caught here. My body is swelling, I
think. You must get me out at once or I shall die. Oh, hurry!"

The Doctor grinned at her with sardonic enjoyment of her predicament.
But his bland words soothed her alarm:

"I come to your rescue with all speed, Miss Ethel. Never fear, little
one, you will soon be quite safe. I hasten to relieve your suffering."

He vanished. Then, a few seconds later, she saw him making his way along
the runway. She did not see the hypodermic syringe he carried in his
left hand. She did not understand even when he came to her, and put his
two hands to her shoulders as if to help her. She felt the sting of pain
i