e ago I felt that my nerves were
giving out; so I determined to go out for a walk in the Park. I am
sure it will do me good. I want you, if you will, Mr. Ross, to be with
Father whilst I am away. I shall feel secure then."

I rose with alacrity, rejoicing that the poor girl was going out, even
for half an hour. She was looking terribly wearied and haggard; and the
sight of her pale cheeks made my heart ache. I went to the sick-room;
and sat down in my usual place. Mrs. Grant was then on duty; we had
not found it necessary to have more than one person in the room during
the day. When I came in, she took occasion to go about some household
duty. The blinds were up, but the north aspect of the room softened the
hot glare of the sunlight without.

I sat for a long time thinking over all that Mr. Corbeck had told me;
and weaving its wonders into the tissue of strange things which had
come to pass since I had entered the house. At times I was inclined to
doubt; to doubt everything and every one; to doubt even the evidences
of my own five senses. The warnings of the skilled detective kept
coming back to my mind. He had put down Mr. Corbeck as a clever liar,
and a confederate of Miss Trelawny. Of Margaret! That settled it!
Face to face with such a proposition as that, doubt vanished. Each
time when her image, her name, the merest thought of her, came before
my mind, each event stood out stark as a living fact. My life upon her
faith!

I was recalled from my reverie, which was fast becoming a dream of
love, in a startling manner. A voice came from the bed; a deep,
strong, masterful voice. The first note of it called up like a clarion
my eyes and my ears. The sick man was awake and speaking!

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Whatever ideas any of us had ever formed of his waking, I am quite sure
that none of us expected to see him start up all awake and full master
of himself. I was so surprised that I answered almost mechanically:

"Ross is my name. I have been watching by you!" He looked surprised
for an instant, and then I could see that his habit of judging for
himself came into play.

"Watching by me! How do you mean? Why watching by me?" His eye had
now lit on his heavily bandaged wrist. He went on in a different tone;
less aggressive, more genial, as of one accepting facts:

"Are you a doctor?" I felt myself almost smiling as I answered; the
relief from the long pressure of anxiety