"The Door is opening, Allegro--darling! Let me--go!"

The words went into a deep sigh that somehow did not seem to end. Olga
waited a moment or two, listening tensely, then rose and laid her very
tenderly back upon the pillow. She knew that even as she did so, her
friend passed through ...

Slowly she turned from the bed, as one in a dream, unconscious of
tragedy, untouched by fear or agitation or any emotion whatsoever. All
feeling seemed to be unaccountably suspended.

The figure of a big man met her on the threshold. She looked at him with
wide, incurious eyes, recognizing him without surprise.

"You are too late," she said.

He started, and bent to look at her closely.

From the deep shadow behind her arose Cork's ominous growl. She turned
back into the room.

"May I come in?" Sir Kersley asked in his gentle voice.

With her hand upon Cork's collar, she answered him. "Yes, come in. I am
afraid it is rather dark. Will you wait while Mrs. Briggs brings a
candle?"

Someone else had entered behind Sir Kersley. She heard a quick, decided
tread; and again more ferociously Cork growled.

"Take that dog away!" ordered Max.

Mechanically she moved to obey, Cork accompanying her reluctantly. In
the passage she found a strange woman in a nurse's uniform, and Nick. He
came to her instantly, and she felt his arm about her with a vague
sensation of relief.

"Still sleeping?" he asked.

She answered him quite calmly; at that moment it was no effort to be
calm.

"No, Nick; she has gone away."

"What?" he said sharply.

"Won't you take her downstairs?" interposed the nurse, and Olga wondered
a little at the compassion in her voice. "She would be the better for a
cup of tea."

"So she would," said Nick. "Come along, Olga _mia!_"

His arm was about her still. They went down the wide dim stairs, he and
she and the great wolf-hound who submitted to Olga's hand upon him
though plainly against his own judgment.

There were candles in the hall, making the vast place seem more vast and
ghostly. The east window was discernible only as a vague oblong patch of
grey against the surrounding darkness.

"The electric light has gone wrong," said Nick, as she looked at him in
momentary surprise.

"I see," she said. "It must have been the storm." She looked down at
Cork pacing beside her. "Poor fellow!" she murmured. "He doesn't
understand."

"Come and sit down!" said Nick.

Tea had been spread in the place of lunche