ase fell to the floor.

It was the one containing the alleged picture of Hubert Vander. Under
the circumstances Dyke Darrel believed he was justified in examining
it.

He opened the case, and was soon gazing at the face of a handsome man.

Although smoothly shaved, the face of the photograph was that of
Harper Elliston!

A horrid suspicion now took possession of the detective's brain.

Securing case and photograph on his own person, Dyke Darrel proceeded
in his efforts to bring the girl back to life.

He was soon rewarded.

"It was Hubert."

These were the first words uttered by the girl when she opened her
eyes. Her hands were stained with blood from cuts made by the glass.

She gazed at the blood, and grew suddenly deathly pale.

"My God! he has tried to murder me!"

Then she came to her feet, flinging her tangled golden hair about
wildly, and shrank to the far corner of the room.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Miss Osborne," said Dyke. "I am
your friend."

"And Hubert's friend?"

"Yes, Hubert's friend, too."

"Who did this, then?"

She held up her bleeding hands.

He tried to explain, and she seemed to understand partially, so much
so as to lose her fear of the detective.

She began to laugh soon, and the late adventure seemed to pass
entirely from her mind. Dyke was glad to have it so.

"Will you not lie down and rest?" he said presently. "We have a long
journey to go in the morning."

"Where? To Hubert?"

"Yes, to Hubert."

Her great blue eyes regarded him wistfully, and a throb of pain
entered his heart at thought of the beautiful girl's misfortune. There
was growing in his heart a dangerous feeling, one that boded no good
to Harper Elliston, should that man prove to be as he now believed,
the Hubert Vander of the mad girl's dreams.

"Take me to Hubert now, kind sir. I know you can do so, and I shall
die if he does not keep his word with me. He will never betray a poor
girl--such a gentleman, and so good? Yes, I will do anything to please
you, for it will bring dear Hubert back."

She went up and laid both hands on the shoulders of the detective, and
looked so mournfully into his face as to touch the tenderness in his
nature deeply. His heart bled for the girl who had been the victim of
a villain's wiles.

"Sit down and rest, Miss Osborne; we will try and find Hubert in the
morning."

"You are very kind."

She seemed gentle and subdued now. It was the calm after the storm