"They would
deny everything." He hesitated a second, and then asked: "He drank the
drug, didn't he?"

Lady Beltham nodded assent.

"It will take effect. It was acting already: so rapidly, that I thought
for a moment he would fall unconscious there, at my feet!"

Gurn drew a deep breath.

"Maud, we are saved!" he exclaimed. "See," he went on, "as soon as it is
light, and there are enough people in the street for us to mix with them
unobserved, we will go away from here. While you were with--him---- I
burned my other clothes, so I will take these to get away in." He picked
up the hat and cloak which Valgrand had thrown upon the chair, and
wrapped the heavy cloak around himself. "This will conceal me
effectively."

"Let us go at once!" Lady Beltham exclaimed, but Gurn stayed her.

"I must get rid of this beard, and my moustache," he said, and he took a
pair of scissors from his pocket and was walking towards a looking-glass
when suddenly they both heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming
slowly and steadily up the stairs. Gurn had no time to get back to his
former hiding-place; all he could do was to sink into the one arm-chair
that was in the room, and conceal his features as well as he could by
turning down the brim of the hat and turning up the collar of the cloak
which the actor had forgotten. The man went as white as a sheet, but
Lady Beltham appeared to recover all her presence of mind, and strength,
and daring, at the approach of danger, and she hurried to the door. But
though she tried to keep it shut, it slowly turned upon the hinges, and
a timid, hesitating figure appeared in the doorway and advanced towards
the retreating woman.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Lady Beltham faltered.

"I beg you to excuse me, madame," the man began, "I came to----" He
caught sight of Gurn and pointed to him. "M. Valgrand knows me well. I
am Charlot, his dresser at the theatre, and I came to--I wanted to have
a word--stay----" he took a small square parcel from his pocket. "M.
Valgrand went off so hurriedly that he forgot his pocket-book, and so I
came to bring it to him." The dresser was trying to get near the
murderer, whom he supposed to be his master, but Lady Beltham, in the
most acute anxiety, kept between the two men. Charlot misunderstood her
intention. "I also came to----" He stopped again and whispered to Lady
Beltham. "He does not speak: is he very angry with me for coming? I
didn't come out of curiosit