d away toward the far end of the corridor.

"Don't let me disturb you, sir," said the doctor, cheerfully, as they
met. "I have nothing to say to Mrs. Armadale but what you or anybody may
hear."

Mr. Bashwood went on, without answering, to the far end of the corridor,
still repeating to himself: "It will end to-night!" The doctor, passing
him in the opposite direction, joined Miss Gwilt.

"You have heard, no doubt," he began, in his blandest manner and his
roundest tones, "that Mr. Armadale has arrived. Permit me to add, my
dear lady, that there is not the least reason for any nervous agitation
on your part. He has been carefully humored, and he is as quiet and
manageable as his best friends could wish. I have informed him that it
is impossible to allow him an interview with the young lady to-night;
but that he may count on seeing her (with the proper precautions) at the
earliest propitious hour, after she is awake to-morrow morning. As there
is no hotel near, and as the propitious hour may occur at a
moment's notice, it was clearly incumbent on me, under the peculiar
circumstances, to offer him the hospitality of the Sanitarium. He has
accepted it with the utmost gratitude; and has thanked me in a most
gentlemanly and touching manner for the pains I have taken to set his
mind at ease. Perfectly gratifying, perfectly satisfactory, so far! But
there has been a little hitch--now happily got over--which I think it
right to mention to you before we all retire for the night."

Having paved the way in those words (and in Mr. Bashwood's hearing) for
the statement which he had previously announced his intention of making,
in the event of Allan's dying in the Sanitarium, the doctor was about
to proceed, when his attention was attracted by a sound below like the
trying of a door.

He instantly descended the stairs, and unlocked the door of
communication between the first and second floors, which he had locked
behind him on his way up. But the person who had tried the door--if such
a person there really had been--was too quick for him. He looked along
the corridor, and over the staircase into the hall, and, discovering
nothing, returned to Miss Gwilt, after securing the door of
communication behind him once more.

"Pardon me," he resumed, "I thought I heard something downstairs. With
regard to the little hitch that I adverted to just now, permit me to
inform you that Mr. Armadale has brought a friend here with him, who
bears