roses on the Aubusson carpet gave
her gross suspicions the lie. And yet...

Now, to think clearly, she mustn't let the thing run away with her.
What was it she had often heard? That the motive was everything. That
was it, one must look for a motive. In this instance, was there a
motive? _She knew there was_. Or at least it might be construed into
one. But, after all, was she sure even of this? The young man
Holliday had departed on his way to South America, Lady Clifford had
let him go. Didn't that rather knock the bottom out of this dreadful
idea? For a moment she felt contused, then came a revulsion. Of
course, the whole thing was perfectly ridiculous; how could she ever
have thought it for a moment? In this day and time, in this house!
She was filled with unutterable relief, ready to laugh hysterically at
her own mad notion.

A heavy step in the doorway, and she realised that the doctor was on
the point of entering. Now was the opportunity to give him back his
needle, get it over quickly. Her hand closed over it; the next instant
Sartorius came and stood just inside the room.

"The consultation, nurse, is arranged for three o'clock to-morrow
afternoon. I thought you might like to know."

"Yes, doctor. Thank you."

Why he should take the trouble to inform her she had no idea. It
wasn't exactly like him. Moreover, he continued to stand in the
doorway, looking at her, as if there were something on his mind. She
was screwing up her courage to tell him of her find when he spoke
again, as an afterthought, in a casual manner.

"By the way, I suppose you've never come across that needle you
mislaid?"

Now was the moment. She opened her lips to speak, then heard herself
saying quietly:

"No, doctor, isn't it odd? I can only think it must have got thrown
into the fire."

CHAPTER XXV

There was little sleep for her that night. The most serious problem
she had ever had to face presented itself, demanding a speedy solution.
What course ought she to pursue? Hours passed and she had not found
the answer.

Here was the difficulty: if she confided her dreadful suspicion to some
member of the family and it was proved to be correct, then a criminal
investigation would follow and her own position would be unassailable.
But if, on the other hand, it were found to be false--and it seemed far
more likely that this should be the case--then her career as a nurse
would be absolutely, irrevocably d