and moaned so that the head
nurse interfered, and said she could not have the patient tormented.

Ransome waved her aside, but taking Grace Carden's hand drew her gently
away.

She made no positive resistance; but, while her body yielded and
retired, her eye remained riveted on Jael Dence, and her hand clutched
the air like a hawk's talons, unwilling to lose her prey, and then she
turned so weak, Ransome had to support her to her carriage.

As Grace's head sunk on Ransome's shoulder, Jael Dence's eyes closed for
the first time.

As Ransome was lifting Grace Carden into the carriage, she said, in a
sort of sleepy voice, "Is there no way out of these works but one?"

"Not that I know of; but I will go at once and see. Shall he drive you
home?"

"Yes. No--to Dr. Amboyne."

Dr. Amboyne was gone to Woodbine Villa.

She waited in his study, moving about the room all the time, with her
face of marble, and her poor restless hands.

At last the doctor returned: they told him at the door Miss Carden was
there; he came in to her with both hands extended, and his face working
with emotion.

She fell sobbing into his arms; sobbing, but not a tear.

"Is there any hope?"

"I have one. May he not have left the country in a fit of despair? He
often threatened. He talked of going to the United States."

"So he did. Ah, he called on me yesterday afternoon. Might not that have
been to bid me good-by?"

She looked so imploringly in Dr. Amboyne's face that he assented, though
full of doubt.

And now there was a ring at the bell, and Mr. Ransome came to say there
was a little postern gate by which Mr. Little might possibly have gone
out and the porter not seen him; and, what was more, this gate, by all
accounts, had been recently opened: it was closed before Bolt and Little
took the premises.

Mr. Ransome added that he should now make it his business to learn, if
possible, whether it had been opened by Mr. Little's orders.

Grace thanked him earnestly, and looked hopeful; so did Dr. Amboyne.

"But, doctor," said Grace, "if he has gone away at all, he must have
told somebody. Even if there was nobody he loved, he would tell--ah! Mr.
Bolt!!"

"You are right. Let us go to him at once."

They found Mr. Bolt in quite a different frame of mind from their own;
he was breathing vengeance. However, he showed some feeling for Grace,
and told the doctor plainly he feared the worst. Little had been
downhearted for some time,