y
wife and daughters had better come with me. Our carriage is sure to be
in waiting. It will be necessary for the lady to have perfect quiet
when she recovers, and visitors are best away. You need not be alarmed,
I am sure. By her colour it is evident she is only in a swoon. What
doctor shall I send?"

Heliobas named one Dr. Morini, 10, Avenue de l'Alma.

"Right! He shall be here straight. Come, wife--come, girls! Mrs.
Everard, we'll send back our carriage for you and the Colonel.
Good-night! We'll call to-morrow and inquire after mademoiselle."

Heliobas gratefully pressed his hand as he withdrew, and his wife and
daughters, with whispered farewells, followed him. We who were left
behind all remained near Zara, doing everything we could think of to
restore animation to that senseless form.

Some of the servants, too, hearing what had happened, gathered in a
little cluster at the drawing-room door, looking with pale and alarmed
faces at the death-like figure of their beautiful mistress. Half an
hour or more must have passed in this manner; within the room there was
a dreadful silence--but outside the rain poured down in torrents, and
the savage wind howled and tore at the windows like a besieging army.
Suddenly Amy Everard, who had been quietly and skilfully assisting me
in rubbing Zara's hands and bathing her forehead, grew faint,
staggered, and would have fallen had not her husband caught her on his
arm.

"I am frightened," she gasped. "I cannot bear it--she looks so still,
and she is growing--rigid, like a corpse! Oh, if she should be dead!"
And she hid her face on her husband's breast.

At that moment we heard the grating of wheels on the gravel outside; it
was the Challoners' carriage returned. The coachman, after depositing
his master and family at the Grand Hotel, had driven rapidly back in
the teeth of the stinging sleet and rain to bring the message that Dr.
Morini would be with us as soon as possible.

"Then," whispered Colonel Everard gently to me, "I'll take Amy home.
She is thoroughly upset, and it's no use having her going off into
hysterics. I'll call with Challoner to-morrow;" and with a kindly
parting nod of encouragement to us all, he slipped softly out of the
room, half leading, half carrying his trembling wife; and in a couple
of minutes we heard the carriage again drive away.

Left alone at last with Heliobas and Father Paul, I, kneeling at the
side of my darling Zara, looked into their fa