uggest, Monsieur Valmain, that you and Monsieur LeFair withdraw at
once. I will send you a report in half an hour."

Paul Valmain shook his head.

"No," he said, in a low, shaken voice. "LeFair will go--I remain
here." He pointed suddenly to Marie-Louise. "I must speak to
her--alone. Go, LeFair--wait for me at my rooms."

Marie-Louise drew hurriedly back.

"No, no!" she exclaimed sharply. The man filled her with abhorrence;
and now, besides, he was trying to keep her away from Jean--and
nothing, nothing in all the world would make her leave Jean's side now.

But no one seemed to be paying any attention to her--not even Paul
Valmain any more, who had turned away, and, whispering as he went, was
walking rapidly into the salon with the man they had called LeFair.
The doctor had slipped his wrist through the handle of his black bag to
leave his hands free, and he and the other man were lifting Jean up in
their arms--and then, numbly, as they carried him from the room, she
followed.

She saw nothing now only Jean's face, so ghastly in pallor, with its
closed eyes, and with the black hair tumbling over his forehead. It
brought a greater fear upon her; but she kept telling herself that she
must be brave, for perhaps they would let her help them when they got
upstairs, perhaps there would be something that she could do.

They went on through the salon, and out into the hall, and began to
mount the stairs--and then some one, hurrying from the direction of the
front door, caught her arm.

"Wait, mademoiselle, wait!" a voice said hoarsely. "Wait--I must speak
to you!"

It was Paul Valmain again. She pushed him violently away from her,
and, without looking back at him, went on after the others.

On the landing at the head of the stairs, they halted for a moment to
open a door, and then for the first time the doctor appeared to notice
that she had been following.

"_Pardon_, mademoiselle," he said a little brusquely. "If mademoiselle
will be good enough to wait below!"

They were trying to keep her from Jean again. Every one tried to keep
her from Jean. She clenched her hands passionately. But now--now they
should not keep her away any longer.

"No!" she cried out fiercely. "You shall not send me away! I will not
go--I will not!"

He stared at her for an instant, then shrugged his shoulders.

"Very well, mademoiselle. It is perhaps your privilege. I have not
time to question it. But since you rem