y."

A moment later she stood still in front of the dressing-table, her eyes
running over its contents. Was everything as she had left it? The
maid never touched anything after she did the room in the morning, yet
somehow the various boxes and bottles, trays, and so on, had an altered
appearance. Her quick eye roamed around. On the table was her
first-aid case, where she had put it down that morning. She opened it
and looked inside. She could not absolutely swear things were
different and yet... She turned and surveyed the whole room, then one
by one pulled open the drawers in the commode. Here and there she felt
sure some object had been touched and disarranged. If she had not been
an orderly person she might not have noticed. Last she opened her
shopping bag. She found the metal cover of her lip-stick off, and a
streak of red on the lining of the bag. Then she felt certain: there
was nothing missing, yet she was convinced that someone had been
ransacking her belongings pretty thoroughly. One of the maids,
perhaps, out of idle curiosity. It didn't interest her much.

"What on earth does it matter?" She sighed indifferently, and then she
remembered the tobacco smoke. Could it possibly have been...

She remained motionless for a full minute, her brow knitted in puzzled
thought. Then, with a shake of the head, she slowly undressed.

CHAPTER XXIV

Within twenty-four hours Sir Charles was in a condition bordering on
coma. Arrangements were hurriedly made for a consultation of
physicians to be held the following day, it being Lady Clifford's wish
that no stone should be left unturned in the effort to save her
husband. However, everyone realised that the consultation would be a
mere formality: there was scarcely any possibility of stemming the
tide. Yet Therese's zeal was not without its effect on both her
sister-in-law and her stepson.

"No one can say she hasn't done her best for the poor old boy," Roger
confided in subdued tones to Esther. "He's had every chance. I
suppose there's no hope whatever?"

Reluctantly she shook her head.

"It would be wrong for me to tell you there was. You know what happens
at this stage of typhoid----" And she went on to describe the
condition now prevailing.

"It's the suddenness I can't get over," Roger said for the fourth time.

"Nor I."

In fact, she felt still dazed. Her eyes dwelt with compassion on
Roger's face until she saw him pass his hand