not
develop force enough for a cry--all told him there was no time to be
lost.

He hastily opened the case for which he had journeyed home, and produced
a small silver tube.

Mrs Cameron watched his movements with anxiety.

"What are you going to do?"

She was standing near the crib, midway between it and a table whereon he
had deposited the case. As her eyes met his she read, by an
extraordinary intuition which comes to most of us when reason fails,
that he purposed some extreme course of action.

"What are you going to do?" she reiterated, somewhat sharply.

"I must give our little patient relief--instant relief--by means of
this," he answered, hastily. She seemed to be wasting time with
questions when every moment was precious. Still she stood motionless in
front of him.

"How?" she persisted, in a voice so hollow that he could scarcely
recognise it.

"I cannot explain now. You must trust me."

"How?" she cried, imperatively. "I will know." A light was dawning on
her. She was recalling a case of which she had read in some old paper
where the doctor lost his life to save the patient.

Danby frowned slightly, and his face looked worn and old. He was
unaccustomed to be doubted or to have his authority questioned.

"If you will know, I shall insert this in the throat," he replied,
deliberately advancing towards the cot, "and remove the mucus by
suction."

"But you might catch the disease?"

"Possibly."

"You might--you might die?"

"Well?"

He was bending towards the child, and gently rubbing the tube with his
handkerchief. With a sudden movement she flung herself between him and
the crib, and placed her outstretched palms against his broad chest.

"You--shall--not!"

Her agonised touch, the expression of her wild, troubled eyes, made
Dot's heart thump within him, but his face showed no sign.

With seeming severity he clasped her wrists and drew her to the
adjoining dressing-room.

"It is a matter of life and death--your child's. I dared not tell you
how serious--I hoped to save you alarm. Now there is no time to spare."

With that he returned to the room, closed the door, and locked it,
leaving her in a passion of tears on the other side. Then he rang for
the nurse, and proceeded.

* * * * *

Though at first his very soul seemed shaken with suppressed emotion, in
a few seconds the sight of the infant's sufferings, its near approach to
suffocation, overwhel