culate. One of the
ornaments fell from her hair. It lay unnoticed by her side. Suddenly
Wingrave opened his eyes. She saw at once that he was conscious and that
he recognized her.

"Don't move, please," she begged. "It will be better for you not to
speak. The doctor will be here directly."

He nodded.

"I don't think that I am much hurt," he said slowly. "Your young friend
was a born bungler!"

She shuddered, but said nothing.

"How on earth," he asked, "did you get here?"

She whispered in his ear.

"The brute--telephoned. Please don't talk."

The doctor arrived. His examination was over in a few moments.

"Nothing serious," he declared. "The knife was pretty blunt fortunately.
How did it happen? It seems like a case for the police."

"It was an accident," Wingrave declared coolly.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. He was busy making bandages. Lady
Ruth rose to her feet. She was white and giddy. The commissionaire and
Morrison were talking together at the door. The latter turned to Lady
Ruth.

"Do you think that we had better send for the police, your ladyship?" he
asked. "It was the young man who came in with Mr. Wingrave who must have
done this! I thought he was a very wild-looking sort of person."

"You heard what Mr. Wingrave said," she answered. "I don't think that I
should disobey him, if I were you. The doctor says that, after all, it
is not very serious."

"He can't have got far," the hall porter remarked. "He only slipped out
as we came in."

"I should let him go for the present," Lady Ruth said. "If Mr. Wingrave
wishes to prosecute afterwards, it will be easy for him to do so."

She stepped back to where Wingrave lay. He was in a recumbent position
now and, although a little pale, he was obviously not seriously hurt.

"If there is nothing else that I can do," she said, "I will go now!"

"By all means," Wingrave answered. "I am exceedingly obliged to you
for your kindness," he added a little stiffly. "Morrison, show Lady
Barrington to her carriage!"

She spoke a few conventional words of farewell and departed. Outside on
the pavement she stood for a moment, looking carefully around. There was
no sign of Richardson anywhere! She stepped into the carriage and leaned
back in the corner.

AYNESWORTH PLANS A LOVE STORY

Wingrave disappeared suddenly from London. Aynesworth alone knew where
he was gone, and he was pledged to secrecy. Two people received letters
from him. Lady Ruth