ld see showed no change either for better or worse. But her
pulse was slightly more feeble and the doctor suppressed a groan of
despair; for this mysterious progressive weakness could only have one
end. All his experience told him that unless something could be
done--and every expedient thus far attempted had proved futile--Myra
Duquesne would die about dawn.

He turned on his heel, and strode from the room, whispering a few
words of instruction to the nurse. Descending the stairs, he passed
the closed study door, not daring to think of his son who waited
within, and entered the dining-room. A single lamp burnt there, and
the gaunt figure of Mr. Saunderson was outlined dimly where he sat in
the window seat. Crombie, the gardener, stood by the table.

"Now, Crombie," said Dr. Cairn, quietly, closing the door behind him,
"what is this story about the orchid-houses, and why did you not
mention it before?"

The man stared persistently into the shadows of the room, avoiding Dr.
Cairn's glance.

"Since he has had the courage to own up," interrupted Mr. Saunderson,
"I have overlooked the matter: but he was afraid to speak before,
because he had no business to be in the orchid-houses." His voice
grew suddenly fierce--"He knows it well enough!"

"I know, sir, that you don't want me to interfere with the orchids,"
replied the man, "but I only ventured in because I thought I saw a
light moving there--"

"Rubbish!" snapped Mr. Saunderson.

"Pardon me, Saunderson," said Dr. Cairn, "but a matter of more
importance than the welfare of all the orchids in the world is under
consideration now."

Saunderson coughed dryly.

"You are right, Cairn," he said. "I shouldn't have lost my temper for
such a trifle, at a time like this. Tell your own tale, Crombie; I
won't interrupt."

"It was last night then," continued the man. "I was standing at the
door of my cottage smoking a pipe before turning in, when I saw a
faint light moving over by the orchid-houses--"

"Reflection of the moon," muttered Saunderson. "I am sorry. Go on,
Crombie!"

"I knew that some of the orchids were very valuable, and I thought
there would not be time to call you; also I did not want to worry you,
knowing you had worry enough already. So I knocked out my pipe and put
it in my pocket, and went through the shrubbery. I saw the light
again--it seemed to be moving from the first house into the second. I
couldn't see what it was."

"Was it like a candle,