a broad crimson ribbon crossing his breast, on which glittered a
diamond star.

The woman waited.

Ronnie watched.

The 'cellist played on.

The fire burned low.

Then another log fell. Again flames darted upward.

Ronnie saw the woman lay her left hand noiselessly upon the back of the
Italian chair, then slip her right behind her and take something bright,
off a table covered with bright things. And, as he watched, she flung
her right hand high above her head, and in it, point downwards, gleamed
the sharp blade of a dagger.

Her eyes met Ronnie's in the mirror. A gleam of malicious triumph shot
from them.

He knew she was about to kill the unconscious 'cellist.

His one thought was to warn and to save him. He knew no sound he made
could be heard in a past century; but whatever he himself now did, he
instinctively felt the 'cellist in the mirror would also do.

With a desperate effort he stopped the movement of the bow.

He had just time to see the 'cellist in the mirror also pause.

Then Ronnie dropped his bow, gripped the 'cello with both hands, and, as
the swift blow fell, drew the body of the 'cello up over his breast.

Then the back of his chair seemed to give way; his feet left the floor,
and he fell over backwards--down--down--down--into a never ending abyss
of throbbing, palpitating, rolling blackness.

Part IV

CHAPTER XV

"THE FOG LIFTS"

When Ronnie came to himself, emerging quite suddenly from a long,
confused dream, which had held many voices, many happenings over which
he had exercised no control and which were too indefinite to be
remembered, he found himself sitting on a seat, on the esplanade at
Hazelbeach.

A crisp, wintry feeling was in the air; but the sun was brilliant, and
the high ground behind, sheltered the sea-front from wind.

He was muffled in his fur coat, and felt quite warm.

The first thing he consciously noticed was the sparkling of the ripple
on the calm water.

There is something particularly reviving and inspiriting about sunshine
on the gaily moving sea. The effect is produced with so little apparent
effort. The sun just shines; the water just moves; and lo, hosts of
sparkling diamonds!

Ronnie watched it in silence for some time, before giving any sign that
he actually saw it.

He was anxious carefully to take his bearings, without appearing to do
so.

Helen sat beside him on the seat. She kept up a flow of conversation, in
the kind, cheerf