y for frivolities of that sort," said Max. "My mind is
entirely occupied with drugs. Ask Miss Ratcliffe if it isn't!"

Olga looked a little scornful. It suddenly seemed to her that Max
Wyndham required a snub. She was spared the trouble of administering
one, however, by the reappearance of the housemaid.

She rose. "Do you want me, Ellen?"

"Oh, no, miss. It's all right," was Ellen's breezy reply. "I only just
come to say as it was Dr. Wyndham as brought in them raspberries--early
this morning."

Ellen disappeared as Max popped the cork of a soda-water bottle with
unexpected violence. He clapped his hand over the top and carried it
bubbling to the window.

"Awfully sorry," he said. "The beastly stuff is so up this weather."

Olga followed him with his glass. "Thank you for rescuing my
raspberries," she said.

Max rubbed himself down with a handkerchief and took the glass from her.
He was somewhat red in the face. He looked at her with a queer smile.

"Confound that girl!" he said.

"Have you discovered any specially beneficial properties In
raspberries?" asked Sir Kersley in the tone of one seeking information.

"Not yet. I'm experimenting," said Max.

And Olga laughed, though she could scarcely have said why.

"There goes Nick, escorting the undesirable," observed Max, a moment
later. "I begin to think there really must be a spark of genius in that
little uncle of yours. Hunt-Goring looks as if he had been kicked, while
the swagger of Five Foot Nothing defies description. Ah! And here comes
Miss Campion! She looks as if--" He broke off short.

Olga bent forward sharply to catch a glimpse of her friend, and then as
swiftly checked herself and remembered her guest. She moved sedately
back into the room, only to discover that he also had risen, to look out
of the window over Max's shoulder.

Instinctively she glanced at him. His deep-set eyes were fixed intently
as if held by a vision. But his face was drawn in painful lines. She had
a curious feeling of foreboding as she watched him. There was something
fateful in his look. It passed in a moment. Almost before she knew it,
he had turned back to her and was courteously conversing.

She gave him her attention with difficulty. Her ears were strained to
catch the sound of Violet's approach. She was possessed by a ridiculous
longing to rush out to her, to keep her from entering this man's
presence, to warn her--to warn her--Of what? She had not the faintest