y to it, and he sat
down at her side. His acquiescence to her was a second nature, and he was
once more bewildered. His anger now seemed to have had no effect upon her
whatever.

"I waited up to tell you about Hilary Vane, father," she said gently. "He
has had a stroke, which I am afraid is serious."

"A stroke!" cried Mr. Flint, "Why didn't you tell me? How do you know?"

Victoria related how she had found Hilary coming away from Fairview, and
what she had done, and the word Dr. Tredway had sent.

"Good God!" cried Mr. Flint, "he won't be able to go to the convention!"
And he rose and pressed the electric button. "Towers," he said, when the
butler appeared, "is Mr. Freeman still in my room? Tell him to telephone
to Ripton at once and find out how Mr. Hilary Vane is. They'll have to
send a messenger. That accounts for it," he went on, rather to himself
than to Victoria, and he began to pace the room once more; "he looked
like a sick man when he was here. And who have we got to put in his
place? Not a soul!"

He paced awhile in silence. He appeared to have forgotten Victoria.

"Poor Hilary!" he said again, "poor Hilary! I'll go down there the first
thing in the morning."

Another silence, and then Mr. Freeman, the secretary, entered.

"I telephoned to Dr. Tredway's, Mr. Flint. I thought that would be
quickest. Mr. Vane has left home. They don't know where he's gone."

"Left home! It's impossible!" and he glanced at Victoria, who had risen
to her feet. "There must be some mistake."

"No, sir. First I got the doctor, who said that Mr. Vane was gone--at the
risk of his life. And then I talked to Mr. Austen Vane himself, who was
there consulting with the doctor. It appears that Mr. Hilary Vane had
left home by eight o'clock, when Mr. Austen Vane got there."

"Hilary's gone out of his head," exclaimed Mr. Flint. "This thing has
unhinged him. Here, take these telegrams. No, wait a minute, I'll go out
there. Call up Billings, and see if you can get Senator Whitredge."

He started out of the room, halted, and turned his head and hesitated.

"Father," said Victoria, "I don't think Hilary Vane is out of his mind."

"You don't?" he said quickly. "Why?"

By some unaccountable change in the atmosphere, of which Mr. Flint was
unconscious, his normal relation to his daughter had been suddenly
reestablished. He was giving ear, as usual, to her judgment.

"Did Hilary Vane tell you he would go to the convention?" she aske