, but we cannot, up to the present, combat it. There are yet
many things in human life of which the medical men are in as complete
ignorance as those who study electricity and radio-frequencies. We try
to do our best to the extent of our knowledge, my dear monsieur. And
if you will bring Mademoiselle to me to-morrow at three o'clock I will
try to make my diagnosis."

I thanked him for his perfectly open declaration, and then I left.
That he was the greatest living authority on the symptoms and effect
of the mysterious drug orosin I felt confident. I only longed that he
would take Gabrielle beneath his charge and endeavour to restore her
brain to its normal function.

Punctually at three o'clock next day I called with my beloved and her
mother at the house embowered in roses and geraniums up on the hill
above the broad Rhone river.

We were ushered in by an old man-servant, silent and stately.

The Professor quickly appeared, his sharp eyes upon the patient.

"I wonder if you will allow me, Madame, to take your daughter into my
consulting-room alone?" he asked in good English. "It will be best for
me to question her without any other person being present."

"Most certainly," Mrs. Tennison replied. Then, turning to Gabrielle,
she said: "The Professor wants to put a few questions to you, dear.
Will you go with him into the next room?"

Gabrielle, pale-faced and tragic, looked at me strangely, and then
meekly followed the old Professor into his consulting-room.

The door was closed, and Mrs. Tennison waited with me in silence. The
window of the room was open and through it came the sweet scent of the
roses and climbing jasmine, with the buzz of the summer insects and
the chatter of the birds, for the house was high up on that hill above
the great silk-weaving capital of the Rhone.

I rose and looked out upon the garden, so well ordered, for the
Professor was, it seemed, a lover of roses, the blossoms running riot
everywhere.

Suddenly, as we remained in silence, we heard Gabrielle's voice raised
until she shouted fierce defiant words in English:

"No!" she shrieked. "It was not that--not that! You try and fix upon
me a deed that I did not do! Why should you do this--why should you do
this!"

"Pardon, Mademoiselle," we heard the Professor say in a quiet, calm
tone. "Pardon. Please! I do not allege it. I have only asked a simple
question."

"Your question is insulting, doctor!" declared my beloved loudly. "Why